Luhansk Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry

President - S. Kyrychenko

Lugansk Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LRCCI) has started its activity in 1964 as the Voroshilovgrad bureau of commodity inspection. At that time seven persons worked at the representative office in Lugansk (director, bookkeeper and five experts). There were rendered services in expertise, translation and information services. In 1989 the organisation became Voroshilovgrad branch of industrial self-supporting firm « Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ukrainian SSR. For that moment financing of all activity was carried out at the expense of means of CCI Ukrainian SSR. For the next years there has passed the continuous chain of reorganisations: for instance, in 1990 the Voroshilovgrad branch of production economic company «Donetskvneshservis» was renamed into Lugansk branch of production economic company «Donetskvneshservice».

The following reorganisation has taken place in 1992 - Lugansk branch of production economic company «Donetskvneshservice» has become Lugansk production economic company «Luganskvneshservis». And only in March 1995 the production economic company «Luganskvneshservis» under support of CCI Ukraine has been transformed to Lugansk Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Initially organisation did the basic emphasis in its work on carrying out examination of commodity. Later on, by 1996 there were created departments of certification, foreign economic relations and exhibition activity . From same year formation of membership base begins. The was approved the Bylaws of LCCI, which defined Chamber activity in Lugansk region. At this stage there were 84 members in the Chamber, including industrial enterprises and commercial organisations . In 1997 there was adopted the law of Ukraine regulating activity of regional Chambers of Commerce and Industry, according to which in 1998 the Lugansk CCI was subject to the state re-registration and has been renamed into Lugansk regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Lugansk RCCI) with approving new Bylaws at the general meeting of members of Lugansk RCCI.

Two factors promoted to creation of its own independent CCI in Lugansk region. Firstly, for that moment in Ukraine conception of CCI has been developed, and in many regions the Chambers were created.

Secondly, in Lugansk region many of industrial enterprises have started export activity. It has led to necessity of formation of the organisation in the region, which could unite the businessmen engaged in foreign trade activity. Thus, creation Lugansk RCCI was absolutely natural and reasoned.

For today it unites more than 350 enterprises, organisations and private businessmen of region and it is the greatest association in the region. Among members of the Chamber there are such giants of production industry of region, as the holding company «Luganskteplovoz», Alchevsk Open Joint-Stock Company «Metallurgical works», Severodonetsk Association «Azot», Open Joint-Stock Company «Impuls», Open Joint-Stock Company «Stekloplastic», Lisichansk Open Joint-Stock Company «Linos», Open Joint-Stock Company «Strommashina», glass factory «Proletariy», Open Joint-Stock Company “Lisichanskaya soda», Rubezhansky Open Joint-Stock Company «Krasitel», the chemical plant «Zarya», Open Joint-Stock Company «Rubezhanskiy cardboard mill».

Lugansk RCCI is a powerful organisation in which work about 100 leading experts. Among services which are rendered by the Chamber, there are certification of origin of goods, examination of the goods, raw materials and equipment, bar coding, broker services, registration of trade marks, intellectual property protection, legal consultations, exhibition activity, preparation and conducting tenders. In 2003 the training-consultation centre was created at the regional Chamber.

The Lugansk RCCI has established partnerships with 130 countries of the world, 500 subjects of economic activity. Many countries have already invested into economy of Lugansk region, for example, Spain, the USA, Russia, Hungary, England, Germany, etc.