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The Indo Belgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) was created
in 1966 as the Mumbai branch of the Belgo-Indian Chamber of Commerce
and Industry. A little later, the Bombay office was made independent
and re-named as the Indo-Belgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Mr. S. P. Godrej during his tenure as President led a Business Mission
to Europe, especially to Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium in 1988,
with the object of developing further trade links with these countries
through first hand contact with Trade Chambers and individual business
houses.
On 23rd November 1998 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between
the BICCI and the IBCCI was signed under the esteemed presence of
His Royal Highness Prince Philippe and His Excellency Mr. Elio Di
Rupo, the then Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium. A charity Belgian
Dinner on the 15th of March 2001, at the Oberoi Hotel, Mumbai in
aid of the victims of Gujarat earthquake. A successful seminar on
“Flanders - Belgium: A gateway for doing business with Europe”
was organised jointly with Consulate General of Belgium, Mumbai
on 21 July 2001 in Pune.
The Chamber constructed a community centre in the New Tappar village
of Gujarat, which was inaugurated on 15 June 2002. An interactive
website of the Chamber was launched in July 2002. A Belgian Food
Festival was organised in November 2002. The Chamber supported the
AWEX Mission to India in November 2002. A Presentation on Luxembourg
by the Ambassador of Luxembourg in December 2002.
The Chamber jointly with FICCI organised a presentation on “Luxembourg
as your Gateway to EU Markets” in February 2003.
In 2003 Chamber signed an MOU with the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce
and the Chamber was renamed as the “Indo-Belgian-Luxembourg
Chamber of Commerce and Industry”.
A workshop on making Belgian Chocolates was organised in April
in association with Hotel Oberoi and Chocossieur. A Presentation
was organised on 8th September in association with the Consulate-General
of Belgium in honour of the visiting Walloon Parliamentary delegation
lead by Mr. Maurice Bayenet, President of the Walloon Parliament
on 8th September 2003. In November 2003 the Chamber assisted Walloon
Region Trade Office in New Delhi with the coordination of the Trade
Mission visiting Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi. On 10 December
2003 H.E. Mr. Patrick de Beyter, Ambassador of Belgium in India
released the first Members Directory of Indo-Belgian-Luxembourg
Chamber of C&I in Mumbai. On 25 February 2004 the Chamber successfully
organised a seminar on “Business Opportunities: Belgium and
Luxembourg” in Chennai in association with Madras Chamber
of Commerce and Industry.
On 26 August 2004 a seminar on “Financial Opportunities in
Luxembourg” along with the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and
Industry. Several MOU’s have meantime been signed and are
on the way to be signed with different Chambers all over India. |