WK at SMEs services

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WKÖ at SMEs services
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Content

• Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ)
• Lobbying
• Information, Advise and Support

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Austrian Federal Economic Chamber
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We represent the interests of commerce

• There are about 400,000 Austrian businesses
• in the commercial sector

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• The Chambers of Commerce were established by the
  Austrian
• legislative body to safeguard the interests of
  particular social and
• professional groups.
• gtgt Statutory Representation of Professional
  interests

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Economic self-government

• The Chambers of Commerce as a professional
  self-governing body
• A section of the civil service which has been
  delegatedto the Chambers. The Chambers enjoy
  complete autonomy within the scope of their
  mandate
• The state has the right to supervise only
• The supervisory authority is the relevant
  Minister
• Representing/Weighing Interest, Service and
  Information
• Social Partner

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Duties of the Chambers of Commerce

• The Chambers of Commerce have additional
  roles,in which they act as part of the civil
  service
• gtgt when carrying out these duties they are
  subject to instructions from the relevant
  Federal Minister
• Certification as master craftsman
• Apprenticeships
• Issuing of certificates of origin

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Elected representatives and employees of the
Chambers of Commerce

• Approximately 11,700 business representatives
  elected
• by own membership make strategic decisions.
• As well as representing the professions, the
  elected
• representatives also look after their own
  business.
• gtgt full-time staff members are necessary
• This close cooperation between staff members and
  elected
• representatives is known as dualism.

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WKÖ Structure - Regional

• Regional organisation
• Federal Economic Chamber
• 9 regional chambers
• 82 district offices
• 68 trade delegations
• 33 marketing offices
• 7 Branch offices

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WKÖ Structure Sectoral

• The industries in the Austrian economy are
• divided into seven sectors

Crafts Trades Industry Commerce Banking
Insurance
Tourism Leisure Transport
Communications Information Consultancy
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WK organisationis financed by the Members

• Chamber charge1 (KU1)
• Basis for assessment prepaid VAT,
  import tax, internal market VAT
• Highest rate 3.2 (at present 3.0 , of
  which WKÖ receives 1.2 and PC
  receives 1.8 )
• Exemption 150,000 net turnover per
  annum
• Chamber charge 2 (KU2)
• Supplements employees contribution under 41
  FLAG
• Highest rate for PC 0.29 for WKÖ 0.15
  0.44

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WK organisationis financed by the Members

• Basic charge
• Depends upon entitlement
• At fixed rates, based upon a transparent basis
  for assessment or a combination of factors
  (total of wages and salaries, number of
  employees, social security contributions,
  etc.)gtgt until 2007 the basis for assessment is
  standardised for each trade organisation.

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Lobbying
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WKÖ-Lobbying

• Austria
• Right to be consulted on all legislative
  proposals at regional, national and EU-level
• Deliver Position after Weighing of Interests
• EU
• No automatic integration into legislative
  process
• Unfiltered representation of interests
• EU Department/ EU office at the Permanent
  Representation of Austria

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WKÖ Network in Brussels
UEAPME
Parliament
Council
SME-Union
WKO
EIB
Commission
ECJ
EuroCommerce
EUROCHAMBRES
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Lobbying Foreign Trade

Austrian Trade Commissions
1. Abu Dhabi 2. Algiers 3. Amman 4.
Ankara 5. Athens 6. Bagdad 7. Bangkok 8.
Barcelona 9. Belgrade 10. Berlin 11.
Brussels 12. Budapest 13. Buenos Aires 14.
Bucharest 15. Caracas
16. Casablanca 17. Chicago 18. Damascus 19. Den
Haag 20. Dublin 21. Frankfurt 22. Helsinki 23.
Hong Kong 24. Istanbul 25. Jakarta 26. Jeddah 27.
Johannesburg 28. Cairo 29. Kiev 30. Copenhagen
31. Kuala Lumpur 32. Lagos 33. Ljubljana 34.
Lisbon 35. London 36. Los Angeles 37. Madrid 38.
Milan 39. Manila 40. Mexico 41. Montreal 42.
Moscow 43. Munich 44. New Delhi 45. New York
57. Singapore 58. Sofia 59. Stockholm 60.
Strasbourg 61. Sydney 62. Taipei 63. Teheran 64.
Tel Aviv 65. Tokyo 66. Toronto 67. Tripoli 68.
Warsaw 69. Zagreb 70. Zürich
46. Oslo 47. Padua 48. Paris 49. Peking 50.
Prague 51. Bratislava 52. Santiago 53. Sao
Paulo 54. Sarajevo 55. Seoul 56. Shanghai

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WKÖ offers to their members...

• Permanent partnership with decision makers at
  regional, national and EU level
• Influence
• Alliances (e.g. European Associations)
• Insider information
• Lobbying is not a one way street

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Information, Advice and Support
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Enterprise Europe Network

• Information concerning all EU matters
• Legal advice
• Commission programmes and funding
• Tenders
• Internal Market Issues

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Enterprise Europe Network

• Tackle Internal Market Barriers
• Trade Commissions
• SOLVIT
• Infringement Procedures
• Interactive Policy Making (SME Panels, SME
  feedback)

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Thank you!
Phare Business Support Programme III of the
European Union UEAPME - SME FIT II

• Christian Mandl
• Austrian Federal Economic Chamber
• christian.mandl_at_wko.at