After 40 years of soviet occupation the three Baltic States Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania recovered their independence in summer 1991. One of the very important aims was and is the economical rejoining to Western Europe. After years of consequent suppression and dependence it needed to find a way out from the planned economy to a liberal marketing. The furtherance of a free trade is required.
Under this aspect the Swiss Baltic Chamber of Commerce was founded in April 1992 as a private-law union with the purpose to promote the relations between Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Switzerland in all fields of economics, industry, finance and trade and is registered in the Register of Commerce of the Canton of Zurich. The Swiss Baltic Chamber of Commerce is also endeavoured to act as a mediator between the members and the Baltic States and, since the foundation, became to a proper forum for information and contact.
Today we may count arounf 70 Swiss organisations to our members, including some of the largest and most important firms in all branches (trade, industry, finance, assurance and transportation). Contacts and relations between officials and privates were organised and promoted. The Free Trade Agreement (1.4.93) between Switzerland and the Baltic States leaded to a salient improvement of the business relations.
The managing board’s members are personalities in the politics and economy and it is chaired by
National Councilor Bruno Zuppiger, Hinwil. The secretariat is located since
January 2006 at Handelskammer Schweiz-Mitteleuropa SEC,
Stauffacherstrasse 45, CH-8004, Postfach 1620, 8026 Zürich, Tel. 043 322 25 55,
Fax 043 322 25 53.