HISTORY
The first traces of craftsmanship date back even to Roman times. According to written documents, there were a great number of traditional craftslocated on Grič (a part of Zagreb) in the 13th century, which shows that Zagreb in the Middle Ages had not been getting behind Central European towns at all. In the 15th century, first brotherhoods or cooperatives in Dalmatian towns appeared, while in the north of Croatia, craftsmen started to unite into guilds. Until the middle of the 19th century, the only economic form of business organisation remained guilds for crafts, and cooperatives and brotherhoods for commerce.
The first Chambers of Trades and Commerce were founded by the Viennese court in 1852 in Zagreb, Rijeka and Osijek. The Trades Act of 1872 abolished guilds in Croatia, which prompted the Zagreb Chamber of Trades to convene a General Assembly of Craftsmen in 1879. In September 1906 in Zagreb, the decision was made to found the Union of Croatian Tradesmen Associations. Until the Second World War, the Croatian craftsmen built the Trades Court, the Trades and Crafts Museum, the Royal Secondary School of Trades, founded cultural societies, and a series of social-humanitarian, supporting and credit institutions.
In the early sixties of the 20th century, craftsmen started to organize in clubs and citizens’ organizations, and up to 1974, 64 craft associations were founded. In 1980, Croatian craftsmen founded the Union of Croatian Craftsmen Associations as their common organization, which worked until 1994 when the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts was founded.
ABOUT THE CROATIAN CHAMBER OF TRADES AND CRAFTS
The Croatian Chamber of Trades and Cra ft is an independent professional-business tradesmen and craftsmen organisation which promotes, co – ordinates and represents common interests of trades and crafts. It represents tradesmen and craftsmen before state and other authorities in the country and abroad.
The Chamber has over 120 000 members. The membership is mandatory. Members are craftsmen having a craft business on the territory of Republic of Croatia, as well as single traders having a trade business. Moreover, physical persons, companies and oth er legal entities, which express their intention for the membership , can become also the members of the Chamber.
The Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts has following public authorities:
- issuing licences for trades and crafts and legal entities which conduct practical and apprenticeship training in accordance with the Law on Trades and Crafts
- issuing the vocational competence exam certificate
- issuing master craftsman’s exam diploma
- establishing the Court of Honour.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
On the level of the Republic of Croatia operates the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts(HOK). On the level of counties, operate 20 regional chambers of trades and crafts (POK). On the town and municipality level, operate 112 tradesmen associations (UO).
The bodies of the Chamber:
- Assembly
- Steering Committee
- Supervisory Committee
- President
- Presiding Committee
With the aim of supporting the professional work of the Chamber, permanent boards and commis – sions have been established:
- Board for the Economy, International Cooperation and Trade Fairs
- Board for Vocational Education
- Board for Informing and Promotion
- Board for Financial and Budgetary Issues
- Board for the Statute and the Chamber Sy stem Development
- Board for Traditional and Art Trades and Crafts
- Board for Islands
- The Chamber Award Commission
THE SERVICES OF THE CROATIAN CHAMBER OF TRADES AND CRAFTS
The numerous benefits of the membership in the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts:
- benefits with goods and services suppliers from the different sectors of economy which have signed cooperation agreement with the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts on the joint procurement project “HOK Obrtnik plus”
- information on business novelties (SMS, e-newsletter)
- free business advice
- dispute resolution services which save time and money
- information and advice regarding initial and lifelong vocational education and training for trades and crafts
- trade and craft workshops licensing
- conducting master craftsman’s exams and vocational competences exams
- cheaper trade fair participation
- free advertising of your trade or craft website
- organisation of business talks with possible international partners
- seminars and workshops
- advocating trades and crafts interests regarding legislation
- digital business (online forms)