Auslandshandelskammer

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The German Chambers of Commerce Abroad ("Außenhandelskammer" in German, also known by the abbreviation "AHK") support German companies with establishing and extending business relations in 90 countries and 130 locations[1] (e.g. the AHK USA). The AHKs also promote trade and joint business between Germany and a foreign country.

German chambers of Commerce Abroad have three main tasks:[2]

  1. They represent German business interests in their countries and promote Germany as a business location.
  2. The chambers interact with politics, business and government in the respective countries to promote bilateral business relations.
  3. The chambers provide services to companies both from Germany and their host countries in order to support their foreign business activities, market entry, investment and export under the brand "DEInternational".

Typical services include economic and legal information, organization and support services for meetings, representations of German fairs abroad, market studies, technological transfer, environmental protection, promotion of trade and investment, public relation activities and further vocational training.

The umbrella organisation of the AHKs is the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), which coordinates and supports the German Chambers. Furthermore, cooperation with various German trade associations strengthens the link between German chambers of Commerce Abroad and business and markets.

While the AHKs collaborate with German diplomatic missions abroad and receive substantial governmental financial support amounting to yearly approx. 60 Millions[3] Euros directly and another 25 Million Euros indirectly[4],they remain non-governmental and purely private entities. They are neither part of Germany's formal diplomatic apparatus nor permitted to engage in official diplomatic functions or act as a German state control agency overlooking or controlling operations of German Unions and companies abroad. Their role is purely consultative and supportive.

Their legal forms vary, including not-for-profit liaison offices (if permitted in the host country), NGOs, unions, or private business entities. The sale of consultancy services and the collection of membership fees are also restricted in some countries, depending on the legal regulations.

Criticism and controversies

1. Resignation of Georgios Paterakis:

   Georgios Paterakis, Vice President of the Deutsch-Griechische Handelskammer in Athens, resigned following an investigation by SPIEGEL. Allegations of potential conflicts of interest were raised against him, prompting his departure from office.[5]

2. High Salary Controversy in London:

   Ulrich Hoppe, the CEO of the German AHK in London, faced scrutiny after reports revealed his annual salary could reach up to €400,000. This sparked public concern and discussions about transparency and appropriateness of executive compensation within AHKs.[6][7]

3. Financial Irregularities and Mismanagement:

   Several AHKs have been implicated in financial irregularities over the years. Instances include improper expense claims and misuse of funds, as highlighted in reports by DER SPIEGEL. These issues have led to dismissals, legal actions, and concerns over the proper use of public funds allocated to AHKs.[8][9][10][1]

4. Whistleblower Allegations in Kurdistan:

   A whistleblower raised concerns about financial misconduct within the AHK in Dubai, which oversees operations in Iraq, including Kurdistan. Allegations included tax evasion, improper employee registrations, and subsequent legal actions against the whistleblower while using government funds of approx.100.000 Euros. This raised questions about governance and accountability within AHK operations.[11][12]

5. Parliamentary Inquiries and Criticism:

   Political parties such as the Left Party (Die Linke), Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) have raised multiple inquiries in the Bundestag regarding AHKs. Concerns include nepotism, misappropriation of funds, disregard for labor laws, and the competitive disadvantage faced by private consulting firms due to AHKs' subsidized services.[13][14][15][16][17][18][2]https://dip.bundestag.de/vorgang/zuverl%C3%A4ssigkeit-der-deutschen-industrie-und-handelskammer-dihk-bei-der-%C3%BCberwachung/313654

6. Conflict of Interest and Competition with Members:

   AHKs' provision of fee-based consulting services has raised concerns about conflicts of interest, particularly when competing with private German consulting firms. The substantial state subsidies AHKs receive enable them to undercut non-subsidized competitors, sparking debates about their mandate and impact on fair competition.

7. São Paulo Chamber of Commerce and the Dictatorship in Brazil:

Unresolved Entanglements: The German Chamber of Commerce in Brazil celebrates its 100th anniversary, with dictatorship supporters still being "honorary members."

The AHK São Paulo celebrated its 100th anniversary and praised its long-term president João Baptista Leopoldo Figueiredo, who led the chamber from 1948 to 1967. However, his role during the Brazilian military dictatorship was overlooked.

Figueiredo was a co-founder of the Ipês research center, which collected funds for a coup against the government of João Goulart and financed torture centers in São Paulo. Despite these entanglements, Figueiredo remains an "honorary member" of the AHK São Paulo, which also receives funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.[3]

8. Board Elections of AHK Morocco and Disregard for Equal Opportunity:

A German businessman criticized the board elections of AHK Morocco in Casablanca, claiming that the principle of equal opportunity was violated. During the election meeting, ballots were collected before he could present himself to the members. He contested the election, but AHK Morocco rejected his challenge, citing no legally relevant grounds. The DIHK also declared itself not responsible. The businessman was later excluded from AHK, raising further concerns about the disregard for fair election practices and transparency.[4]

9. Beer Festival Controversy in Morocco

In 2022, the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Morocco announced the organization of the country's first beer festival, scheduled for October 28th in Bouskoura (Casablanca). This event, intended to coincide with the famous Oktoberfest in Germany, was met with significant backlash. Critics accused the Chamber of acting in a colonial manner by imposing a foreign cultural event that disrespected Morocco's Muslim-majority population and their religious beliefs, which strictly prohibit alcohol consumption and related activities.

The announcement led to widespread outrage on social media and a political uproar, with many arguing that the festival was contrary to Moroccan identity and values. A petition launched by the Forum for the Protection of Moroccan Identity on Change.org quickly garnered over 21,000 signatures, calling for the Moroccan authorities to halt the event. The German Chamber eventually removed the festival announcement from its website and social media, sparking further speculation about the event's cancellation. Critics highlighted this incident as an example of cultural insensitivity and the imposition of foreign customs on local traditions.https://www.maroc-hebdo.press.ma/premiere-fete-biere-maroc-finalement-annule https://www.yabiladi.com/articles/details/130447/maroc-petition-contre-premiere-edition.html

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Trade unions.

German chambers of Commerce Abroad on Wikipedia:

References

  1. ^ "AHK - Über uns". Archived from the original on 2016-09-03. Retrieved 2016-09-04.
  2. ^ "AHK United Kingdom - Member of the world-wide German Chamber Network". Retrieved 2016-09-04.
  3. ^ "DIP". dip.bundestag.de. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  4. ^ "20240418-bescheid-anlage-einnahmenahk-netzausberatungs-dlundff-gefrdertenprojekten.pdf in Anfrage „Einnahmen der AHKn, Delegationen und Repräsentanzen der letzten 6 Jahre" - FragDenStaat" (PDF). fragdenstaat.de. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  5. ^ Becker, Sven; Naber, Nicola (2024-03-01). "(S+) Vizepräsident der Deutsch-Griechischen Industrie- und Handelskammer zurückgetreten". Der Spiegel (in German). ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  6. ^ "AHK-Chef in London rechtfertigt hohes Gehalt: Bis zu 400.000 Euro Bezüge?". FAZ.NET (in German). 2024-02-28. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  7. ^ "Hoher Anstieg der Bezüge: Geschäftsführer der Auslandshandelskammer verdient bis zu 440.000 Euro". Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  8. ^ Becker, Sven (2023-06-23). "Auslandshandelskammern: Wirtschaftsministerium sieht Hinweise auf krumme Geschäfte". Der Spiegel (in German). ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  9. ^ "Auslandshandelskammer: Geschäftsführer in Seoul entlasssen". Der Spiegel (in German). 2012-07-08. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  10. ^ Eifelzeitung7 (2012-11-19). "Unregelmäßigkeiten in der AHK Südkorea - bffk stellt Strafanzeige und kritisiert strukturelles Versagen des DIHK - EMZ". EMZ Eifel-Mosel-Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ "Die Kammerberichte / Bundesverband für freie Kammern e.V." www.bffk.de. p. 6,7. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  12. ^ "Einkommensteuernachzahlung der Delegation des Irak". fragdenstaat.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  13. ^ "DIP". dip.bundestag.de. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  14. ^ "DIP". dip.bundestag.de. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  15. ^ "DIP". dip.bundestag.de. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  16. ^ "DIP". dip.bundestag.de. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  17. ^ "DIP". dip.bundestag.de. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  18. ^ "DIP". dip.bundestag.de. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
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