KONYA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

HISTORY OF KONYA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

So far as known, commercial activities are as old as humanity. The organization and institutionalization of commerce in Konya has taken place with the Ahi Organization. Ahilik is not only a commercial activity, but also a highly ethic institution and a historical event in our civilization. For centuries it has had a voice in commercial, political and sometimes military areas beside the work of tradesmen. Afterwards Ahilik has turn into Guilds and lost its effectiveness from XIX. century. However since that time foreign and internal trade has increased multi-dimensionally and in order to fill this gap, there should have been a institution in the commercial area.

After the centuries since the Ahi Organization, the first chamber of commerce in the world has been established in Marseille (France) in 1599 and in time it has been spread to the other cities of France. The first chamber of commerce in Turkey has been the Austria-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and it has been established in Istanbul in 1870. The French and British Chambers of Commerce have followed the Austria-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1882 and 1887. They are foreign chambers of commerce and the main aim of them was to confer benefits to Austrian, French and British merchants.

The foundation of Chambers in the Ottoman State has started with a decree on June 13, 1292 (1876). By this decree a private assembly has been established with the name of “Meclis-i Ticaret ve Ziraat” (Commerce and Agriculture Assembly). Meclis-i Ticaret ve Ziraat that in terms of function and position could be described largely as an “expertise and intellectual consultancy” group, in time maintained its activities as Meclis-i Ticaret (Commerce Assembly). The members of this Association would have been selected among the most esteemed merchants and after ratification by the Ministry of Commerce; it would have gone into operation.

Meclis-i Ticaret has formed the nucleus of Dersaadet Ticaret Odası (Istanbul Chamber of Commerce). In this framework, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce has established on January 14, 1880, and has held its first session on January 14, 1882.

In order to recover the chambers from the foreign influences, Milli Türk Ticaret Birliği (Turkish National Commerce Association) has been established by a decision of Ankara Government. It tried to bring the chambers to the “semi-official status”. In this direction, the determining decision has been taken at the İzmir Economy Congress. At this Congress, “Misak-ı İktisadi Esaslar” (Pact of Economic Basis) has been accepted and new principles has been determined for the Chambers of Commerce. In this framework, the Chambers of Commerce and Industry has been overviewed according to these new principles and changed their visage, function, tasks and responsibilities in the years that followed İzmir Economy Congress.

Following the publication of Law on Chambers of Commerce and Industry in 1925, promulgation of Regulations, as in other Chambers, established the legal basis for Konya Chamber of Commerce, and rendered it a legal entity. Therefore Konya Chamber of Commerce became the second Chamber afterwards the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce. Along with the establishment of recognition of legal person status of the Chambers, Law 655, announced effective as of May 14, 1925, made registration to Chamber mandatory for all persons engaged in commercial activities.

After the declaration of the Republic, Konya Chamber of Commerce and Industry re-established in 1925 and began to make member registrations in 1926. In accordance with the Law 5590 on the Association of Chambers and Stock Exchanges, effective as of March 8, 1950, the election for the 12 professional committees has been held on April 4,1951 and the executive organs of the Chamber have been formed.

By reason of great increase in the number of tradesmen and industrialists and the improvements in production sector, Konya Chamber of Industry has been established in May 1, 1974 and after that time our Chamber has continued its activities under name of Konya Chamber of Commerce. Today, about 18.000 tradesmen and industrialists are the member of Konya Chamber of Commerce and there are 43 professional committees in its structure.