ABOUT US

Nature and mission of the Chamber of Commerce of Alessandria

The Chamber of Commerce of Alessandria was founded in 1862, just three months after the coming into force of Law No.680 of 6^th July 1862  that set up the Chambers of Commerce and Arts in all the chief towns of province and in some district offices.

Indeed, the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Craft Trade and Agriculture of Alessandria was founded by Royal Decree no.929 of 16^th October 1862 and began to work on January 12^th of the following year, on occasion of the first Chamber Board meeting.

NATURE

The Chambers of Commerce are public institutions, regulated by Law No. 580 of 29^th December 1993 (and amendments) with autonomy of statute, organization, administrative regulation and accountability.

Moreover, the Chambers of Commerce are defined as:

1. non-territorial local authorities, because the territory only represents the physical limit to their activities;
2. representative bodies of general interests in a local area;
3. self-governmental bodies, because they exercise administrative power having the same features and effects of the public one.

MISSION

The Chamber of Commerce of Alessandria aims at promoting the commercial and industrial interests of its province and local territory. 

FUNCTIONS

The functions of the Chambers of Commerce are:

1. support and promotion of general economic interests of the province (in particular, promotion and improvement of local productions, setting up price observatories, etc.);
2. activities in administrative and economic fields related to the business system, such as:
   1. keep registers and rolls, in which inscription enables to exercise an activity (as for brokers, business agents, etc.);
   2. keep the Business Register, in which inscription has the effects of mandatory disclosure or setting up;
   3. release of qualifying certificates to exercise certain activities (licences for baking, grinding, etc.);
   4. release of certifications about companies’ status (business profile information or “visure”), local customs of trade, prices, certificates of origin of products, protests;
   5. give opinion and make proposals to public authorities, Regions and local authorities about economic subjects concerning the local business system;

3. keep the computerized Register of Protests, draw up market regulations (such as control over the presence of restrictive covenants in contracts, provide assistance for standard contracts, developing functions of conciliation and arbitration);
4. constitute boards, according to the law, draw up regulations and statutes;
5. different functions depending on those delegated by the State and Regions, as well as those deriving from international agreements.