ICC (International Chamber of Commerce)

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) was founded in Paris in 1919 and today is the world’s largest business organisation with over 6.5 million members – companies and associations – and a network of 3000 experts in more than 130 countries.

ICC promotes international trade and investment, shapes responsible business conduct and a global approach to regulation through a mix of policy advocacy, standards and rules setting and the provision of world class dispute resolution services.

ICC is the voice of the international business – through its expert members who provide the stance on broad issues of trade, investment and development. These views are shared with the most important global organisations, such as the United Nations – where the ICC has a consultative status through its permanent representative at the UN headquarters in New York, the World Trade Organisation with which the ICC closely cooperates and the G20 to which the ICC acts as a primary interface between business and the governments and central bank governors of the most powerful economies.

All ICC’s activities have been underpinned by the belief that strengthening commercial ties between nations is a powerful force for peace and prosperity. The mission of ICC today is to promote trade and investment across frontiers and help businesses meet the challenges and opportunities of globalisation.

ICC POLICY COMMISSIONS

ICC commissions are specialised working bodies composed of business experts with a goal to:

• facilitate international trade and investment;
• examine major issues of interest to world business;
• prepare policy products including statements, rules and codes.

The specialised ICC commissions operate in the field of:

• Arbitration and ADR;
• Banking;
• Commercial Law and Practice;
• Competition;
• Corporate Responsibility and Anti-corruption;
• Customs and Trade Facilitation;
• Digital Economy;
• Environment and Energy;
• Intellectual Property;
• Marketing and Advertising;
• Taxation; and
• Trade and Investment Policy.

ICC TOOLS FOR BUSINESS

In order to facilitate business ICC offers a wide selection of services, such as:

• Commercial crime services
  A range of services combating commercial crime, from fraud in international trade, insurance, financial instruments and shipping, to money laundering, maritime piracy, counterfeiting and intellectual property theft.
• Dispute resolution services
  Alternatives to litigation especially suited to cross-border disputes. Led by ICC’s world-renowned International Court of Arbitration and International Centre for ADR, they include arbitration and mediation and other forms of amicable dispute resolution, such as independent assessment by experts, and dispute boards.
• World Chambers Federation
  A global forum for chambers of commerce to foster the exchange of ideas, relationship-building, and development of new products and services.
• Publications
  Globally-used ICC rules and standards, guidelines, reference books and model contracts are developed by the ICC commissions, divisions and other international specialists.
• Research foundation
  Independent research that contributes to public knowledge, education and debate on the benefits of global trade and investment.
• Institute of World Business Law
  Aimed at strengthening links between international business practitioners and the legal profession to foster wider knowledge and the development of the law and practices of international business.
• Training and conferences
  An extensive range of training seminars and conferences that brings ICC’s expertise in legal and business tools to a worldwide audience.
• ICC Academy
  Providing business education that contributes to the expansion of cross-border trade and investment, including through a series of specialised certification programmes recognised by business worldwide.