CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Click here STRUCTURE OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Click here GUIDELINES TO REGISTER A BUSINESS
Click here IMPORT REGULATIONS
Click here EXPORT REGULATIONS
Click here ADDRESS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

STRUCTURE OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Structure

The Chamber of Commerce an Industry in Suriname is an organization based on Public Law. As there is only one Chamber of Commerce & Industry it serve as the National Organization in Suriname.

Individual businessman, corporations and other businesses are mandatory to register their business and trade name in the Trade register Department of the Chamber.

The registered members pay an annual fee on the basis of their invested capital: this annual fee is the main source of the chamber.

The registered members are classed in eight categories (branches), represented by 21 elected Chambermembers. The division of these branches is asfollows:

Retail trade (4 elected members)

Other trades and services (4 elected members)

Domestic industry & manufacturing (3 elected members)

Insurance and banking (2 elcted members)

Transportation (2 elected members)

Hotel, restaurant & entertainment (2 elected members)

Mining & industrial processing industry (2 elected members)

Forestry & forest processing industry (2 elected members)

The Chairman of all branches (8) constitute the Board of the Chamber of Commerce.
 
 

Objectives and tasks

The objectives and tasks of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry are to:

  1. defend and promote the interests of the business community towards the Government and other official authorities;
  2. generate and stimulate activities which are of general interest to the business community;
  3. represent the businessvommunity;

    4.  
Activities

A. Trade Register

  1. Registering businesses and trade names;
  2. Keeping up to dated records and administration;
  3. Keeping regular contacts with Government Commissioners about trades, business, licences, etc.;
  4. Issuing excerpts from the Trade Register;
  5. Issuing certificates on behalf of tenders, government authorities, institutions and other interested parties;
  6. Rendering services to the registered members with respect to their licences;
  7. Enacting the Law on Trade names.

    8.  
B. Swearing in of Real Estate Agents

Investigating the antecedents and advising the official authorities with respect to the swearing in of real estate agents.

C. Trade Promotion/trade Information

  1. Issuing trade documents, such as Certificates of Origin;
  2. Issuing letters of recommendation on behalf of the registered members;
  3. Legalizing signatures e.g. on behalf of Eur-I Certificates;
  4. Publishing a Directory of manufacturers, exporters and Importers;
  5. Publishing a monthly bulletin;
  6. Services to foreign businessmen and other offical persons;
  7. Being active in all aspects of national and international trade, regulations, stipulations and uses;
  8. Promoting domestic production;
  9. Operating a library .

    10.  
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY 

ADDRESS : Mr. Dr. J.C. de Mirandastraat # 10

PHONE : (597)-474536/473527/470802

FAX : (597)-474779

PARAMARIBO - SURINAME
 
 

GUIDELINES TO REGISTER A BUSINESS

Guidelines for the registration of a foreign company (branch office)

In order to register a foreign company in the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry the following documents are required.

The registration (annual) contribution will be determined on the basis of the investment in the branch office.

Guidelines for the registration of a limited liability company in foundation

In order to register the business into the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the following documents need to be submitted:

The registration into the Trade Register needs to be done by at least two founders.

The registration (annual) contribution will be determined on the basis of the invested capital (investment).

Guidelines for the registration of a limited liability company

In order to register the business in the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry the following documents are needed:

The registration needs to be done by the directors.

The registration (annual) fee will be determined on the basis of the investment (invested capital).

Documents/requirements for the application of an importer's/exporter's licence If it concerns a foreigner, one needs to submit a permanent residence permit instead of the nationality declaration.

aaif it concerns a company not being a "one man business", the company needs to be registered in the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce & Industy first.

* a copy of the Articles of Association (or a draft)

* an excerpt of the Trade Register registration

* a notification that the annual fee (contribution) of the Chamber has been paid

NB: Reguest must be draw on a special request form.

Receipts for payment:
of dues sf. 6.00
of stamp duty sf. 6.00
Of the licence fee sf. 2.50
 

Documents/requirements for the application of a shopkeeper's licence Receipts for payment:
of dues sf. 2.50
of stamp duty sf. 6.00
Of the licence fee sf. 500.00
 

Documents/requirements for the application of other licences

Producers/manufacturers and all other requests for licences are submitted to the Ministery of Trade & Industry, together with:

* a factory

* a travel agent

* a touroperator

* a commission agent

* a grocer

** if it concerns a limited liability company (In establishment)

Guidelines for the registration of a one-man business

The registration of the business must be done one week prior or one week after the actual commencement of the activities.

In order to register the business into the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the following documents need to be submitted:

1. licence obligatory companies

- the decree

- one recent passportphoto

- family book, passport excerpt from the birth register

2. not licence obligatory companies

- one recent passport photo

- familiy book, passport or excerpt from the Birth Register

3. registration of taxidriver

- two recent passport photos

- excerpt from the Birth Register

- driving licence

- number certificates

The registration (annual) contribution will be determined on the basis od the invested capital.

Guidelines for the registration of a foundation

In order to register a foundation in the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry the following documents need to be submitted:

The registration into the Trade Register needs to be done by

all patners.

The registration (annual) contributed will be determined on the basis of the invested capital (investment).

Guidelines for the registration of a cooperative association

In order to register a Cooperative Association in the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry the following documents need to be submitted:

The registration into the Trade Register needs to be done by all partners.

The registration (annual) contribution will be determined in consultation with the president, on the basis of the invested capital (investment).

Guidelines for the registration of an open partnership

In order to register an Open Partnership in the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry the following documents need to be submitted:

The registration into the Trade Register needs to be done by all partners.

The registration (annual) contribution will be determined in consultation with the partners, on the basis of the invested capital.

Guidelines for the registration of a limited partnership

In order to register a Limited Partnership into the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the following documents need to be submitted:

- a cooperation agreement (drawn up either by a registered notary or by private contract)

It is advissable to include in the deed:

The registration into the Trade Register needs to be done by the managing partners.

The registrations (annual) contribution will be determined in consultation with the managing partner(s), on the basis of the invested capital.

IMPORT REGULATIONS

Import regulations

An importer is someone, whose activities are the importations of goods.

To import goods some documents are required:

The importer's (company) licence needs to be applied for at the Ministery of Trade and Industry, Company Licences Department. Form E-82 and Single Document are available at the bookstores.

The following documents have to submitted, depending on the sort of goods:

The certificate of Origin (CVO) is a form which is used as an official declaration about the origin (this is the country of origin) of a specific dispatch of goods. At the export of the goods a Certificate of Origin is neccessary so that the goods could have aprefential treatment (such as without paying import duties, alterations of import of duties). This certificate has to submitted for the import of animals and plants. For the import of animanls, a seperate licence from the Head of the Veterinary Inspection is required.
  When importing plants and seeds for sowing, this document to be issued by an authorized organization from the country of origin.

Procedures to import goods

Trade consigments

  1. the importer needs a valid importer's licence;
  2. when ordering goods the importer first has to submit both an import and a foreign currency licence (E-82) to the Institute for import, Export and Foreign Exchange Control, including a CIF proforma invoice in duplicate on which the freight and insurance charges are specified separately.
  3. there are prohibited, on quota restricted and on rules aligned goods laid down by the Ministery of Trade and Industry, which may only be imported after special permission of abovementioned Ministery (Sate resolution 1980 No. 7 and amplified by State resolution 1982 No. 97);
  4. if the goods are imported the importer has to prepare the form Single Document (clearing). Within six days after arrival of the ship, the goods have to ve cleared and after expiration of this term, storage cost has to be paid;
  5. presenting of the filled in form Single Document at Tax Office for payment of the indebted import duties, consent and statictics. The form will then be signed by the Customs, stamped and a number and a date will be supplied;
  6. presenting of the filled in form Single Document with the import licence, invoice. Bill of Loading, at the Institute for Import, Export and Foreign Exchange Control. There they make a note that the licence has been used or can be used for another shipment; copies of the afore mentioned documents must be enclosed;
  7. presenting of the goods Single Document with neccessary documents such as invoice, Bill of Loading and Import licence at the customs, where control of the value, quantity of the goods, import duties paid as well as other particulars will take place. Further, a note is made on the Manifest that the goods have been unloaded;
  8. offering of the goods (single Document) with the documents by the officer who is in charge of the delivery of goods in the temporary or in bonded warehouses for which authorization of the shipping company is neccessary. Draft and transportation of the goods together with a delivery order and a copy of the form Single Document;
  9. EA-licence is only for gift parcels. To an amount of Nf500,= no EA-licence is required. If the Cotums officer asks for the EA-licence this can still be applied for at the Institute for Omport, Export and Foreign Exchange Control;

    10.  
Exchange margin is paid after approval of the EA-licence.

Import duties can be paid before the approval of the EA-licence. The neccessary documents are:

EXPORT REGULATIONS

Export procedures and problems encountered

Exporter's licence

In order to be able to export one needs to obtain an exporter's licence, granted by the Ministery of Trade and Industry for aperiod of three (3) years.

The requirements to obtain such a licence are:

- submitting a request, accompanied by:

* 2 recent passportphoto's

* 1 excerpt from the birth register

* 1 declaration of nationality

* 1 revenue stamp

* 1 receipt for payment of licence fees (sf. 508,50)

* receipt for payment of revenues and administration costs

* an excerpt from the Trade Register of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry applicable)

* a copy of the Articles of Association (if applicable)

Obtaining the licence may take one to six months.

Export licence

In order to effectuate the actual export, the exporter needs an export licence, approved by the office for Import, Export and Foreign Exchange Control (Dienst Invoer, Uitvoer en Deviezen Controle/IUD), submitted with the relevant exportdocuments (invoice, B/L, etc.).

This procedure may take a few days.

Problems encountered

It may occur that businessmen encounter problems when requesting an export licence. This could happen if the documents submitted are not correct, or if the exporter has not fulfilled his legal obligation of transferring exports earnings into the Central Bank. There may also be disputes between exporters and the Ministery of Trade and Industry, relating to the export prices of certain products.

The Chamber's role

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry mediates in these procedures by: