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Austria The Chambers of Commerce
Originally established under the Habsburg Empire in 1848, the
modern chambers of commerce operate under legislation passed in
1946. They serve as the legal representatives of all persons
engaged in crafts (small-scale production), industry, commerce,
finance (banking, credit, and insurance), transportation, and
tourism. Each of these six functional activities is handled by a
separate section within the nine provincial chambers and in the
parent body, the Federal Chamber of Trade and Commerce, commonly
referred to as the Federal Economic Chamber
(Bundeswirtschaftskammer). The most important functions of the
chambers arise from their authority to interpret laws and
regulations affecting the interests of their members and from
their right to advise the Nationalrat (National Council) and
review draft legislation.
Data as of December 1993
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