ASCAME

The Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry, in abbreviated form ASCAME, is an organisation of international scope, of a voluntary, non-profit making nature. It unites the Chambers of Commerce and Industry and other similar institutions of the countries of the Mediterranean basin, and works on the assumption that the Black Sea is a natural extension of the Mediterranean Sea.[1]

ASCAME was formed on 1 October 1982. The Constitutive General Assembly was held in Barcelona, hosted by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation. It is an Organization with a potential membership of 500 Chambers of Commerce, and other associated entities, from the 23 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

Today, ASCAME is the most important representative of the Mediterranean private sector with over 250 Chambers of Commerce from the 23 countries of the Mediterranean basin. ASCAME is a well-consolidated entity that represents the interest of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and the Private Sector, also being accredited as an economic partner of the EU and international organizations in carrying out economic cooperation projects. ASCAME represents all North and South chambers and business regardless of their size and sector of activity.


History

The Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry – ASCAME – was founded on the 1st of October 1982, as an initiative of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with its counterparts from different Mediterranean countries, and in 1994 it was transformed in an International Association, on the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce of Marseille. From the about ten founding member of 1982, today ASCAME brings together over two hundred Chambers of Commerce and similar institutions, from twenty-two Mediterranean countries: Albania, Algeria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Serbia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.[2]

ASCAME was created with the primary goal of furthering economic cooperation throughout the Mediterranean region, showing a strategic vision of North-South cooperation and integration. This vision was confirmed by the establishment of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership in 1995 and is validated today by the Union for the Mediterranean.

Objectives

According to article 3 of the Statutes, “The fundamental purpose of this Association is to establish permanent contacts andforge lasting relationships among its members in order to co-ordinate, implement andpromote studies and joint actions with a view to developing economic exchanges andco-operation within the Mediterranean area of international scope.”

The objectives that the association wants to achieve are:

• The creation of a network of Chambers of Commerce and organisations working in the field of cooperation and economic exchange between countries in the Mediterranean region.

• Promotion of and search for synergies between these countries' economies.

• The creation of working ties between peer institutions aimed at encouraging international cooperation through joint performance of activities and/or studies.

• Assertion of the Mediterranean identity.

• Contribution to create an area of peace, tolerance, security and prosperity.

Members

As a result of amendments approved by the Extraordinary General Assembly of Tunis of May 2001, the Association envisages two types of membership: Full Members, all the Chambers of Commerce of the Mediterranean countries, and Associate Members, which are the various Mediterranean institutions and organizations having a relationship with the objectives of ASCAME.

Currently, ASCAME members include:

1 Chamber of Commerce from Albania

18 Chambers of Commerce from Algeria

1 Chamber of Commerce from Bosnia & Herzegovina

1 Chamber of Commerce from Bulgaria

1 Chamber of Commerce from Cyprus

4 Chambers of Commerce from Croatia

11 Chambers of Commerce from Egypt

18 Chambers of Commerce from France

11 Chambers of Commerce from Greece

38 Chambers of Commerce from Italy

1 Chamber of Commerce from Jordanian

6 Chambers of Commerce from Lebanon

1 Chamber of Commerce from Libya

1 Chamber of Commerce from Macedonia

1 Chamber of Commerce from Malta

1 Chamber of Commerce from Montenegro

32 Chambers of Commerce from Morocco

1 Chamber of Commerce from Serbia

24 Chambers of Commerce from Spain

7 Chambers of Commerce from Syria

14 Chambers of Commerce from Tunisia

16 Chambers of Commerce from Turkey

Organisation

ASCAME's operating structure consists of:

- the General Assembly: composed of all members, it defines the general policy and major lines of activity of the Association

- the Executive Committee: the permanent management and administration body of ASCAME

- the Bureau, which acts on behalf of the Executive Committee as regards ordinary and ongoing matters

- the General Secretariat, which is responsible for monitoring the decisions taken by the General Meeting, the Executive Committee and the Bureau, conserving ASCAME records and providing secretarial services

- the Commissions

- the Working Groups.

The Commissions

The ASCAME Commissions are created by the Executive Committee in order to achieve the ASCAME objectives. There are in total 16 Commissions, each chaired by a member of ASCAME. A Commission may be composed of members of the Association, as well as of other experts, who may be invited to participate in the Commissions' meetings and activities.

The Commissions are:

Tourism Commission

Culture and Intellectual Property Commission

International Relations Commission

Training Commission

Logistics and Transport Commission

Urban Infrastructures Commission

Business Cooperation Commission

Environment and Climate Change Commission

Industry Commission

Women Entrepreneurs Commission

Arbitration Commission

Investment Commission

Innovation and ICT Commission

Renewable Energy Commission

Young Entrepreneur Commission

Activities

ASCAME provides support and advice to the Chamber of Commerce members, encourages contacts between them and promotes their respective initiatives, such as staff exchange programmes between Chambers of Commerce members, training programmes, forums, conventions and fairs. The Association plays a significant role in the field of international cooperation between Chambers of Commerce, a role that has been acknowledged by leading European and international institutions. It also occupies a privileged position in terms of representing the private sector in the region.[3]

International Cooperation

The latest cooperation agreements are:

• ASCAME - UfM [4]

• ASCAME - Euro-Region Mediterranean Pyrenees

• ASCAME - Eurochambres- CPCCAF [5]

• ASCAME - AFAEMME [6]

• ASCAME - EIA

• ASCAME - AIC FORUM [7]

• ASCAME - IEMed

• ASCAME - EIB

• ASCAME - US Chamber

• ASCAME - FERRMED [8]

References

  1. ↑ ASCAME Statute Archived March 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ What is ASCAME Archived March 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ ASCAME Representation and Nature
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ European, African and Mediterranean Chambers of commerce and industry adopt "Tunis Declaration" Archived March 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ AFAEMME signs cooperation agreement with ASCAME Archived March 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ AIC FORUM and ASCAME sign Memorandum of Understanding
  8. ↑ ASCAME and FERRMED sign a collaboration agreement

External links

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