About us ...
The Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) was founded in 1996 and in 2004 with a Decision of the Bulgarian Council of Ministers was approved as officially acknowledged national employers' representative organisation.
The BICA was created at first as a union of the biggest privatization funds in Bulgaria, with main goal to express the interest of the business during the process of privatization and restructuring of the Bulgarian economy in its transition to developed market economy. The founders of the Association are sharing the vision, that the private business is the engine for creation of favourable business climate, for the improvement of the competitiveness and for the adoption of the best European and world practices.
The Association has played a key role in the privatization process in Bulgaria. With the development of the economic reforms, it has faced new challenges and structured new tasks. The current agenda of the Association includes such issues as socio-economic environment improvement, investment promotion, corporate governance promotion, accelerated adaptation of Bulgarian business to the European and world standards, improvement of competitiveness and export orientation of the Bulgarian industry. These new realities imposed the need for changing the main focus of BICA’s activities and shaped the new face of the organization.
As of today, the Association represents the interests of holding and investment companies, branch chambers, industrial enterprises, employing altogether more than 170 000 people. BICA has developed widespread network of regional structures, covering more than 50 Bulgarian municipalities.
BICA has proved itself as an indisputable authority consecutively implementing constructive approach and providing grounded positions in discussions with representatives of legislative and executive authorities, business, and trade unions, trying to motivate consensus achievement in solving important political and legislative cases. The Association aims also at promoting the civil society development – it has taken distinct position as voice of the general business opinion in Bulgaria. The prestige, the image and the popularity of BICA gradually rise.
Since 7th July 2006 BICA is a member of UNIQUE (Union of Issuеrs Quоted on Europe). UNIQUE unites organizations which presents the interests of over 3500 issuеrs from EU members like Great Britain, Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland.
Through AOBE BICA is a member of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), which unites 141 national employer organisations from 135 countries from all over the world.
The main goal of the Association is to guarantee the rights and common interests of its members in their relationship with the state and public authorities and institutions in Bulgaria and abroad. In order to achieve it, BICA develops, co-ordinates and implements the following policies:
- Industrial policy
- Human Resources Policy
- Balanced policy for regional development
- Investment and research and development activities promotion policy
- Stock market development policy
Industrial policy. The main aspects in the industrial policy implementation are subordinated to the ambition of providing better economic environment, than these in the EU member states, as a factor for accelerated economic growth and investment promotion. This includes:
- Active dialogue and co-operation with similar employers’ organizations and social partners, with state and public institutions in elaborating positions, related to the achievement of the long-term, strategic priorities of the Bulgarian industry.
- Legislative framework improvement as to enhance the business development and start-ups.
- Competitiveness improvement.
- Co-operation in elaboration and implementation of optimal taxation and social security regimes.
- Ecology and environment protection.
Human resources policy. Bulgarian economy competitiveness does not depend only on the labour force price and quantity, but also on its qualification and skills. That is why the main challenges in front of BICA in the human resources policy implementation are in the following areas:
- Education and qualification.
- Employment and labour legislation.
- Social security and income policy.
- Labour conditions.
Balanced policy for regional development. The main aspects of this policy implementation are:
- Action plan elaboration for strategy priorities realization with main accent on overcoming uneven development of the regions.
- Active participation in infrastructure development through private investments promotion, public-private partnership enhancement, transparency in infrastructure objects contracting.
- Involvement of the regional BICA chambers for balanced regional development and transfer of the EU best practices in the area.
- Definition of the priorities for regional development.
- Regional clusters creation promotion.
- Activation of the work of the regional consultative business councils.
Investment and research and development activities promotion policy. The main aspects of this policy implementation are:
- Investment process stimulation through development of system of taxation and structure measures.
- Innovation potential development through creation of conditions for innovation promotion, entrepreneurial networks and clusters development as to create normative conditions for closer business – science – education relationship.
- Provision of assistance to the BICA members in projects preparation and application submissions to the Innovation fund.
- Representation in the Steering Committee of the National Innovation Council.
Stock market development policy. Stock market development and the positive perception of the status of public listed companies are of great importance. The main aspects in the stock market development policy of the BICA are:
- Best Corporate Governance Practices Code ratification.
- Elaboration and implementation of a system for best practices and compliance promotion, in order to complement the existing regulatory regime.
- Elaboration and submission of securities public offering legislation amendments in order to enhance the stock market development through:
- Stimulation of the issuers.
- Creation of conditions for development of new aspects of the stock market.
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© 2006 BICA. Created by Desart Studio.