Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry celebrates 80 years

The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), comprising over 8,000 enterprises – members from the whole spectrum of the Cypriot business activity, held its Annual General Meeting today marking 80 years of operation.
In his speech, Chairman of the CCCI or KEVE as its known in Greek, Manthos Mavromatis, presented a series of proposals “aiming at reviving the Cypriot economy”.
He underscored the need to restrict public expenditure, simplify bureaucratic procedures, try and obtain more EU funding for competitive EU programmes and called on the trade unionists to change their mentality in order to synchronise themselves with mainstream economy.
Referring to the introduction of the euro in Cyprus this coming January, Mavromatis said that business people “are convinced that we can dispel any fears regarding unjustified price rises” and expressed satisfaction with the large number of companies that have adopted the Fair Pricing Code.
Mavromatis referred to take-overs of Cypriot enterprises by foreign enterprises, saying this will continue and intensify in the future while at the same time he expressed regret that such take-overs undervalue local companies.
He also said that the protection of the names of traditional Cypriot products, such as halloumi cheese, would pave the way for the promotion of these products, thus reviving the local industry.
Referring to the European Neighborhood Policy, he critisised the fact that in the past few years attention concentrated on European and eastern European countries at the expense of neighbouring countries.
CCCI, he added, will promote further relations with sister organisations in the region, “because, being members of civil society, we seek to respond to the special role we can play in the region”.
Mavromatis referred to trade through the Green Line (dividing the northern Turkish occupied part of the country from the southern government controlled areas) and said that CCCI “is working in a discreet but decisive manner and plays a positive role in promoting trade through the Green Line with the Turkish Cypriot community, as provided in the relevant EU regulation”.
He announced that the CCCI would organise in 2008 a Competition for Entrepreneurs to boost competitiveness in Cyprus.
Mavromatis said social benefits should be targeted and given to financially more vulnerable social groups who are in need.
Furthermore, he presented a proposal for “a more substantive long term social benefit policy”, regarding the viability of the Social Insurance Fund.
“CCCI marks 80 years of creative presence in the business activities of Cyprus, as well as constructive cooperation with all state authorities, the executive power, the legislative body, local administration and the social partners”, he concluded.
The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry was founded in 1927.
It is a union of Cypriot businessmen, the interests of whom it promotes by submitting to the government and the Parliament the members’ positions on matters in which they are involved, while, through its participation in tripartite bodies and committees, it conveys and promotes the views of the business community.