The History of Çorum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI)

Until the Second Constitutional Monarchy Period, commercial life was organised through guilds called Lonca, which were councils comprised of stewards and headed by a Sheikh each. These guilds functions through a range of sanctions that varied from protesting those businesses that made dishonest profits to closing such businesses for several days. The decisions taken by these councils were always absolute and final. Conditions of place and time were not sought to gather a meeting of the guild.

The harshest punishment of the guild was the expulsion of the artisan who did not abide by the custom of the union. None of the townspeople would have any kind of business with such an expelled artisan, and he would be forced to leave the town.

Çorum Chamber of Commerce and Industry was first established in 1910.

During the pre-Republic period, around fifty merchants were registered to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Çorum. In this period, the activities of the chamber were limited to collecting annual fees and approving merchants’ security bonds.

Following the Declaration of the Republic, between the years 1927-1928, 400 merchants and 1300 artisans were registered to the chamber.

With the increasing number of members, a Secretary General, and accountant, a treasurer and an office boy were employed as the first regular staff of the chamber.

In 1928, agencies were opened in five counties and the number of members increased remarkably.

In accordance with the Chambers of Commerce and Industry Act no: 4355, elections were held and occupational boards, which were separated into ten groups, found the opportunity to pay close attention to the needs and wishes of the merchants. In addition, a chamber council comprised of twenty people, as well as an administrative board of seven were elected, and thus Çorum Chamber of Commerce and Industry gained the quality of a more active establishment in comparison to other cities in the vicinity.

Due to the great respect rendered to the Chamber, in every period the tradesmen and merchants were able to solve their disputes without referring to the courts, through the Chamber functioning as a referee.

With its constantly increasing number of members since the day it was first established, Çorum Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which today continues its activities in accordance with Turkish Association of Chambers and Stock Exchange Act no: 5174 and the Chambers and Stock Exchange Act, still serves public organizations and institutions.