English version

chamber_of_commerce_of_lanzarote.pdf, 47.26 Kb

The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Shipping of Lanzarote is a corporation of public law that acts as an intermediary between local firms and the different administrations (local, regional and national). This chamber is the youngest of all, since it was founded in 2006, after separating from the Chamber of Commerce of Las Palmas. Since then, it has been a corporation democratically governed and directed by the businessmen themselves.

The main aim of the Chamber of Commerce of Lanzarote is similar to the aim of the other 87 Chambers of Commerce in Spain; i.e. to offer services to businesses, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, and to promote the economic development of its locality.

The services offered by the Chamber are organised into four main areas:

- Promotion of international trade.
- Education and training
- Business creation.
- New technologies and innovation.

In the first area, the Chamber offers companies logistical support and training to prepare them to move into foreign markets. With regard to education and training, Spanish Chambers of Commerce are the second largest educational institution in Spain in terms of the number of students.

The Chamber provides training for executives and company managers and students undertaking vocational business training. On the business creation front, the Chamber has made considerable efforts to encourage entrepreneurship and make it easier for people to set up a new business by means of projects. The fourth area of services offered by the Chamber is aimed at encouraging technological innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises, considered to be a basic requirement in order to improve their competitiveness in the marketplace.

In addition, the Chamber of Commerce of Lanzarote represents the general interests of Lanzarote?s companies, acting as a consultative body and working together with the various public administrations. This means that it can instigate legislative amendments and provide expert opinion, above all on issues affecting businesses.

In order to carry out these functions, the Chamber of Commerce puts a yearly budget together which details the specific projects and services which will be undertaken during the year. Funding for the Chamber comes from two main sources:

- Permanent funds, that come from the obligatory fees charged to businesses.
-Variable funds that come from providing services to business and from agreements signed with local and regional government.

 
  • Foreign Trade
  • Setting up Business
  • Industry-specific business services
  • Legal / Tax Issues
  • Training
 

Foreign Trade

The Chamber offers a wide range of services to exporting firms and companies which are interested in exporting. These services help firms to break into foreign markets and consolidate existing international markets by means of trade missions and foreign trade fairs, visits to foreign countries and trade missions made up of foreign buyers.
The Chamber of Commerce helps companies which do not export to start their dealings in international markets by means of the PIPE programme ?the Foreign Trade Promotion Initiation Plan ? which includes the assistance of an expert advisor who helps the company to put together its export plans.
In addition, the Chamber provides businesses with a series of tools which allow them to increase their knowledge and understanding of foreign markets and to improve their marketing strategies.

Many of the procedures and much of the documentation required to export can also be dealt with by the Chamber of Commerce, for example certificates of origin of goods, the authentication of trade documents, ATA carnets and visas, among other things.

 

Setting up Business

The Chamber of Commerce makes it easier to set up new businesses by explaining all the administrative procedures required to start a new company together under one roof. The Chamber offers courses and gives advice to entrepreneurs on how to put together a business plan. In addition, there are special assistance programmes aimed at businesswomen.

 

Industry-specific business services

The Chamber offers specific services for the retail industry, the transport sector(transport consortia, conferences and seminars, legislation), the tourist industry (sector-related reports, the Spanish Tourism Quality System) and the industrial sector (industrial development programmes). The Chamber also aims to promote good environmental practices.

 

Legal / Tax Issues

The Arbitration Court of Lanzarote, a service provided by the Chamber of Commerce itself, allows the swift resolution of disputes between companies.

 

Training

The Chamber of Commerce of Lanzarote offers a wide variety of courses specifically designed for companies. These include courses in business studies, marketing management, economic and financial management and human resources management as well as an advanced management programme and management refresher courses.