Welcome to the South Westphalia Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Hagen

With its central location at the heart of Western Europe and its excellent transport links, South Westphalia provides ideal conditions for foreign nationals to work on a self-employed basis or for companies from abroad to set up dependent and independent branches.

We also want to give an overview over the economic infrastructure of the South Westphalia Economic Region, illustrate some aspects of the German Foreign Nationals Law and offer a compilation of useful links and contacts.

Your Southwestfalia Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Hagen

The South Westphalia Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Hagen (SIHK zu Hagen) is an institution financed by traders, merchants and private companies; statutory membership and fees enable it to represent the general interests of industry, trade and the service sectors. Founded in 1844, the CCI Hagen celebrated its 175^th anniversary in 2019.

The CCI Hagen advocates the concerns and interests of its nearly 43.000 member companies and provides advice on locational, tax and economic problems. It undertakes initiatives to improve the conditions for business in the region. It acts as an expert, for example, if trade customs need to be established or public loans granted. As a company under public law, the CCI executes the tasks entrusted to it on its own responsibility. It contacts government and public authorities, parliaments and courts. A dialogue that is beneficial for both sides; the state benefits from its economic competence and it reinforces the region's economic strength.

The SIHK's International Department assists companies in establishing/expanding their international business relations, informs about markets/tariffs and brings companies together with potential partners and customers in cooperation with the network of German Chambers abroad (AHK).

The CCI Hagen and its Academy with its three technical training centers is actively involved in vocational qualification. It is responsible for training in approximately 180 job profiles and offers advice on all questions of continuation training. Extensive consultancy, information and mediation round off its range of services.

Its area - the largest industrial region in Northrhine-Westfalia and third largest in Germany - includes the cities of Hagen plus the Markish and Ennepe-Ruhr (without Hattingen and Witten) districts. Over 50% of the industrial production is for export. The most important industrial sectors are the automotive supply industry (metal forming, plastics, electronics), building technologies (sanitary fittings, lightings, switches), wire/screw drawing and mechanical engineering. Most of the companies are middlesized and family owned.

The South Westphalia Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Hagen is a public law corperation. Anyone who is commercially active in the Hagen region automatically becomes a member of it. Exceptions are companies in craft trades and agriculture, as they have their own chambers. The CCI is financed by membership fees from its member companies.

The supreme body of the CCI Hagen is the General Assembly, the 'parliament of business'; its members are elected every six years by the member companies.

The General Assembly elects from among its members the president and nine vice-presidents. In addition, committees and expert panels are formed in which questions on specific themes such as foreign trade, industry, information technology/e-business, vocational education, business start-up, energy, controlling, taxes, commerce, procurement, transportation/logistics, environmental protection or employment protection are considered. The General Assembly, president and committees act on an honorary basis.

The permanent staff of the CCI Hagen are managed by an executive director, who is appointed by the General Assembly. Together with the president, the executive director represents the chamber externally. The permanent members of staff work in departments which are arranged according to fields of reference.

2020 December 2^nd