Final Approval of the New Support Guidelines by the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture for Associations

In a specialized meeting, the directors of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, with the focus of the Associations and Social Responsibility Department, outlined and explained the vision, goals, indicators, and cooperation mechanisms between the Tehran Chamber of Commerce and the machinery and equipment value chain associations within the framework of the strategic program.

At the beginning of the meeting, Amirreza Bidgoli referred to the approval of the support guidelines for associations and stated that, in line with the strategic program of the 10th term of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce’s Representatives, and the Chamber's inherent mission of supporting economic associations for development and empowerment to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of associations, as well as to create uniform procedures and systematic mechanisms for more cooperation, this initiative has been developed.

According to him, all economic and employer associations will fall under these guidelines, but priority will be given to associations focused on production, particularly those in the value chain targeted by the Chamber.

The Director of the Associations and Social Responsibility Department of the Tehran Chamber continued by saying that associations are mostly capable of identifying and stating issues, but only a few have the ability to offer proven solutions. Therefore, one of the highlights of the Chamber’s support for associations is to assist them in the field of strategic studies by providing policy documents on key issues in the industry and value chain. Furthermore, these issues may be discussed and reviewed through the Chamber's specialized committees.

He also mentioned that the Chamber of Commerce’s support for associations extends to the organization of educational programs, adding that solving major economic and business environment issues requires consensus at the top of the system. However, problems at the micro level, such as improving productivity and managing businesses, can often be solved through synergy between the Chamber and associations, empowering and enriching knowledge.

Bidgoli also pointed out that the Tehran Chamber’s job portal, created in collaboration with IranTalent, is now available for free services. Additionally, the Chamber is ready to assist with the human resources issues within the value chains.

In the continuation of the session, Mahsa Motranloui, an expert at the Economic Research Department of the Tehran Chamber, explained the possibility of participation in responding to industry research needs, such as the research analysis of the value chain issues, providing strategic analysis of the value chain’s status, producing policy documents for key issues in the industry, producing annual export and import reports for the value chain, and also creating a strategic plan for the transformation and development of associations or industries.

Assisting in Business Matching

Mehrnaz Tajaddod, Director of Business Matching Development at the Tehran Chamber, mentioned the Chamber’s strategic program to increase exports for its members and improve cooperation with target countries. She discussed the online export meetings with traders from target countries, organizing associations for participation in export exhibitions, creating a B2B export portal for goods and services, and facilitating business matching with corresponding associations/value chains from target countries.

At the same time, Behnam Brahouei, a specialist in developing countries at the Tehran Chamber’s International Affairs Department, explained that the Chamber acts as a facilitator, enabling companies to identify their international partners and establish connections with them.

Providing Free Consultancy to Association Members

Mahmoudreza Taheri, Deputy for Business Services Development at the Tehran Chamber, emphasized that his department provides free consultation in challenging business areas such as taxation, insurance, customs, labor law, currency issues, and environmental matters. These consultations are available online, by phone, or in person. Moreover, the Chamber’s consultants are also willing to visit the relevant association on a specific day to provide answers to its members' inquiries.

He further mentioned that the Chamber’s representatives are present in tax and social security dispute resolution councils, and association members can take advantage of this opportunity. However, it is necessary for the party involved in the dispute to contact the Business Services Department before the meeting to present the issue. Additionally, he pointed out that pursuing and rectifying sudden regulations and disruptive business circulars is another responsibility of this department.

International Trend of Using Arbitration

Hamidreza Aloumi, the Head of the Arbitration Center of the Tehran Chamber, also highlighted the advantages of using the services of this center and stated that in economic activities, a contract is usually signed to define specific technical frameworks. One of the provisions commonly included in contracts to manage risks is the arbitration clause, which ensures that disputes are resolved through arbitration. If this clause is not included, the court system will be the venue for resolving disputes.

He further noted that the use of the arbitration clause has become an international trend. At the Arbitration Center of the Tehran Chamber, experienced arbitrators are employed, and the arbitration process is conducted in a way that ensures the possibility of the verdict being annulled by the judicial courts is minimized. Additionally, using the Arbitration Center of the Tehran Chamber is cost-effective; while judicial courts charge 3.5% of the claim in the first instance and 4.5% in the appellate stage, the arbitration cost is only 1.5% of the claim, which is shared between the claimant and the defendant. There is also the possibility of discounts and installment payments for these costs. To utilize arbitration services, the arbitration clause must be included in the contract.

Azam Rezaei, the Deputy of Membership Services Development at the Tehran Chamber, also explained the services of her department and initially referred to the One-Stop-Shop for Business Startups located at the Tehran Chamber. She mentioned that economic actors can pursue services such as company registration and establishment, changes in meeting minutes, trademark registration, supplementary insurance for members, benefiting from ICC services, and addressing issues related to industrial parks through experts stationed at the physical one-stop-shop for business services at the Tehran Chamber.