German Chamber of Commerce in Austria
| German Chamber of Commerce in Austria
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| legal form | Registered association |
| founding | 1920/1955 |
| Seat | Vienna , Austria |
| management | Thomas Gindele ( CEO ), Hans Dieter Pötsch (President) |
| Number of employees | 23 (2019) |
| Branch | Association , trade association |
| Website | www.dhk.at |
The German Chamber of Commerce in Austria (DHK) is one of 92 German chambers of commerce abroad . It represents the interests of around 1,500 member companies in commercial transactions between Austria and Germany and is based in Vienna .
founding
After the First World War, German business tried to build up its contacts in Europe and overseas by setting up chambers of commerce abroad. After the formation of the first republic and the dissolution of an almost self-sufficient economic area within the borders of the former empire, Austria had to turn to its western trading partners
Against this background, an association for the protection of German industrial and commercial interests was established in Vienna as early as 1920, from which the “German Chamber of Commerce for Austria” emerged.
The number of members increased steadily: in 1923 there were already 500, 830 in 1924 and 400 members in 1928 in Germany and 500 in Austria. In 1926 the number rose to a total of 1030. Today, 1,500 companies are members of the DHK, although membership is voluntary.
Provisional dissolution
When German troops marched into Austria in March 1938, the German Chamber of Commerce in Vienna lost its function. It was dissolved by the standstill commissioner responsible for this on August 9, 1938. The assets of around 24,000 RM flowed the Reich Chamber to Berlin.
Rebuilding
As early as 1951/52, German and Austrian business circles were considering setting up a bilateral German-Austrian Chamber of Commerce on a voluntary basis with equal participation by companies from Germany and Austria.
At the actual founding meeting on September 22, 1955, there was agreement that the new chamber would be made up of equal numbers of German and Austrian personalities in its organs, that the members of both countries would have the same rights and that the "German Chamber of Commerce in Vienna" would be for the mutual benefit of both Germans and others the Austrian economy should be active. These principles were enforced in the years that followed.
Functions
The chamber in Austria sees itself as:
- Representation of the German economy: The chambers of commerce abroad are actors in German foreign trade promotion on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany. They represent German business interests at their locations. They inform and promote Germany as a business location.
- Member organization: The AHKs bundle the interests of their member companies that are active in bilateral economic relations in order to be able to act stronger in relation to politics, business and administration to promote bilateral economic relations.
- Service provider for companies: The AHKs offer companies from Germany and the host country under the service brand DEinternational services to support their foreign trade activities.
Services
The organization is a provider of services, especially for medium-sized businesses on their way to opening up new markets. These services include a.
- Market entry, implementation of market entry projects
- Brokerage of business partners and organization of cooperation fairs / company fairs
- Business presence for German companies in Austria
- Implementation of market sales projects for the German agricultural and food industry as well as for German companies in the field of energy efficiency
- Implementation of market development projects on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
- Market and product advice, market analysis
- Provision of market information
- Obtaining company and credit information
- Trade fair representation for the following German trade fair locations in Austria: Berlin, Frankfurt, Hanover, Karlsruhe, Offenbach, Stuttgart
- VAT refund
- Initial legal and tax information
- Fiscal Representation
- Payroll accounting (wage accounting, payroll accounting)
- Digital bookkeeping
- Company and branch establishment
network
The German Chamber of Commerce in Austria sees itself as a network of over 1,500 member companies. In order to maintain this network, the DHK organizes over 70 events per year on current economic and socio-political topics. The presidium and board of directors of the DHK are composed of entrepreneurs and managers from the economic community of Germany and Austria. Hans Dieter Pötsch was elected President in October 2019. He succeeds Dieter Hundt (2007 to 2019)
Events
The DHK organizes social receptions, business lounges, company tours and specialist lectures. Since the focus is on the merging of German-Austrian trade relations, the speakers are usually prominent figures from politics and business in both countries. B. Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg , Josef Pröll and Niki Lauda . For the 60th anniversary in 2015, Angela Merkel gave the keynote address.
Most of the events take place in the Vienna area, while the New Year's BusinessLounge in Graz and the early summer event in the Salzburg Residence .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Festschrift of the German Chamber of Commerce in Austria, November 2005.