EU Services DirectiveHamburg Chamber of Crafts

The Hamburg Chamber of Crafts represents small and medium-sized enterprises and 105.000 people working in these enterprises in the city-state of Hamburg.

It is a non-profit corporation under public law which provides a wide range of services to promote a strong and competitive skilled crafts sector in Hamburg.

Political advocacy

Being the self-governing body of the skilled crafts sector, the Chamber represents the interests of its members in politics as well as vis-à-vis the public administration. It plays an active role in national and international networks of chambers and associations representing skilled crafts and small businesses. In addition, it fulfils statutory duties in the field of vocational training such keeping the apprentice registry, holding the master craftsman examination, issuing the master craftsman diploma and registering businesses in the Register of Craftsmen.

Consultancy

The skilled crafts sector is the biggest employer in the city-state of Hamburg. It is an important economic engine for the region and has a strong responsibility for the vocational education of the young people. To support managers and business owners in these times of constant change, the Hamburg Chamber of Crafts offers its members the following services, among others, for free or at low cost:

• management consultancy,
• legal consultancy,
• debt recovery service,
• procurement of industrial real estate and
• assistance in foreign trade.
  
  It also assists business start-ups and credit applications, supports the search for adequate business successors and helps with business take-overs. 

Training

The Hamburg Chamber of Crafts offers further vocational training courses in the field of technical training, commercial training, ICT training and training in environmental matters. In addition, it offers advisory services and technical expertise.

Structure

The Hamburg Chamber of Crafts rests on two pillars: honorary posts and regular posts. As any chamber, the Hamburg Chamber of Crafts has a democratic structure. Its governing body is the general assembly. It is elected every five years by the master craftsmen and journeymen of the following trades:

• building and construction trades,
• metal trades,
• woodwork trades,
• clothing, textile and leather trades,
• foodstuffs trades,
• trades related to health and hygiene,
• chemical and cleaning trades as well as
• glass, paper, ceramic and other trades.

The general assembly is headed by a board of six directors. The president of the board of directors is Hjalmar Stemmann. He is owner of a medium-sized dental technology company. As President of the Chamber of Crafts, he represents craft in politics, in economics and in society. He works in close co-operation with the regular staff of the Chamber. The regular staff, the administration, is in-charge of the operative functioning of the Chamber. The Chief Executive Officer is Henning Albers.