ASCAME


The Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry is a non-profit international organisation that represents the Mediterranean private sector, regrouping Chambers of Commerce and Industry and other similar entities from both shores of the Mediterranean.  
ASCAME was founded on 1 October 1982. The Constitutive General Assembly was held in Barcelona, hosted by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation.
Nowadays, ASCAME is the main representative of the Mediterranean private sector with a network of over 300 Chambers of Commerce from the 23 countries of the Mediterranean basin.
ASCAME is a consolidated entity that represents the interest of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and the Mediterranean private sector, also being accredited as an economic partner of the European Union and other international organisations in carrying out economic cooperation projects. ASCAME represents North and South Chambers and businesses regardless of their size and sector of activity.

History

The Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry was founded on October 1, 1982, as an initiative of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with its counterparts from different Mediterranean countries.
From the about ten founding members of 1982, today ASCAME brings together over 300 hundred Chambers of Commerce and similar institutions, from 23 Mediterranean countries.
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 in Barcelona by the establishment of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership in 1995.
Nowadays, 30 years since its inception, this strategic vision has been strongly reinforced. Through ASCAME, the private sector is positioned in the regional political agenda to catalyst solutions that can answer accordingly to the changing socioeconomic scenarios in the region.

Objectives

According to article 3 of the Statutes, “The fundamental purpose of this Association is to establish permanent contacts and forge lasting relationships among its members in order to co-ordinate, implement and promote studies and joint actions with a view to developing economic exchanges and co-operation within the Mediterranean area of international scope.”
The objectives that the association wants to achieve are:
ASCAME serves as a unique instrument for the socioeconomic development of the region through:
The Association envisages two types of membership: Full Members, which are Chambers of Commerce and Industry of countries riparian to the Mediterranean, and Associate Members, which are the various Mediterranean institutions and organisations having a relationship with the objectives of ASCAME.
Today, around 75% of its members are Chambers of Commerce and Industry from different Mediterranean countries and around 10% are national Chambers of Commerce and bilateral Chambers of Commerce. Nearby 10% of its members are business representative organisations, employees’ organisations and associations for economic promotion.
The rest of members are port authorities, promotion agencies and fairs, among others.
ASCAME has currently members from Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Croatia, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Morocco, Palestine, Serbia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.

Organisation

ASCAME's operating structure consists of:
The ASCAME Working Commissions are created by the Executive Committee in order to achieve the objectives of the Association. They are the heart of the Association and act as think thanks for ideas, proposals and programmes related to different fields and relevant sectors of the Mediterranean. This allows ASCAME to focus on the main objectives of its Strategic Plan.
The Working Commissions are 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 current ASCAME Working Commissions are the following:
ASCAME carries out several activities aimed at promoting the economic development of the region, namely events, working groups and cooperation projects.
The Association’s work as an interlocutor is recognised by relevant regional and international institutions, such as the European Union, the Union for the Mediterranean, the European Investment Bank, the Arab League etc., through numerous collaboration agreements and joint participation in a large number of cooperation projects, as well as in various concrete actions. All this, as a result of being the organisation that, with the greatest extension in the territory, has the biggest experience to create platforms for dialogue and business economic cooperation in the Mediterranean region. Therefore, ASCAME occupies a prominent place in the field of cooperation between Chambers of Commerce, cities and companies in the Mediterranean field.
ASCAME provides support and advice to its Chambers of Commerce members, encourages contacts between them and promotes their initiatives. 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.

International Cooperation

ASCAME has signed several cooperation agreements with relevant institutions in order to achieve its objectives and cooperate in its work for the economic development of the Mediterranean.
Among others, ASCAME has signed cooperation agreements with the following institutions:
Union for the Mediterranean, European Investment Bank, European Institute of the Mediterranean, Eurochambres, Association of Organisations of Mediterranean Business Women, MEDCities, Word Federation of Free Zones, Association of Iberoamerican Chambers of Commerce, Forum of the Adriatic and Ionian Chambers of Commerce, FERRMED, U.S Chambers of Commerce, MedCruise, International Chamber of Commerce - World Chamber Federation, Euro-Mediterranean Network of Social Economy, Mediterranean Hotels and Restaurants Association, World Tourism Organisation, World Federation of Consuls, World Business Angels Investment Forum and Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce among others.