The Joint Palestinian-German Chamber Project has been developed and implemented in co-operation between the Handwerkskammer zu Koln (Cologne Chamber of Small Industries and Trades), the Federation of Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Jerusalem and the Regional Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Hebron, Jenin and Ramallah. It is financed by the German Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development. The partners signed a contract for a second three-year-phase in January 1999.

The main objective of the project is to enhance the competence and efficiency of the Palestinian partners in the fulfilment of their duties and functions as service-providing units, and to act as representatives and competent interest groups, advocating the interest of their members at national level in order to achieve a positive impact on the economic development and performance of the private sector.

The support of this project is achieved by dispatching long and short time experts on location. These experts are entrusted with the co-ordination of the project as well as with the task of imparting the necessary knowledge to qualify local chambers and company employees in their respective professions. In addition, considerable payments for equipment and subsidies to salaries are made.

Only through a lasting improvement in the productivity of the Palestinian workforce can the country guarantee its competitiveness in the world market. Therefore, the project lays special emphasis on the exchange of experts.

The Implementation of a computer aided administration system in the Hebron Chamber was one result of the project's first phase; this technology should be extended to most of the regional chambers in the future.

In addition to this, the design and the installation of a joint web-page for all chambers and the training of the chamber's staff in modern computer based routines was also implemented.

In 1997 the Vocational Training Department of the Federation of Palestinian Chambers founded, with the support and co-operation of the Handwerkskammer zu Koln, a further vocational training system which has been developed in the Hebron Chamber. Experts from Cologne and Palestine drafted a joint curricula and set up Examination Boards for same. Several technical courses have been conducted to date. The course participants receive Certificates which are recognized nationally by the Palestinian Ministry of Labor and internationally by Handwerkskammer zu Koln. To ensure that the required standard is attained, the trainers of local institutions are sent to Cologne for training.

The project works closely with, and supports the Advocacy and Policy Influence Unit of the Federation of Palestinian Chambers. Amongst other functions, this unit publishes periodicals, organizes awareness-workshops for chamber staff, plans business oriented marketing strategies, develops training programs based on local needs and influences policies at national level, e.g. Chamber Law.

The Vocational Training System is to be expanded in order to embrace the whole range of relevant needs of the business enterprises in Palestine. The "know-how" accumulated in the Hebron Chamber is to be transferred to the other chambers through the application of methods suitable for particular situations.

At the Ramallah Camber of Commerce and Industry, a Foreign Trade Department which is to render services to business enterprises and to other chambers is being implemented. Measures entailing business promotion are to be taken at the Jenin Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

• Lobbying at a national level in the fields of economics, labor and training
• Consulting service for the chambers concerning training and vocational training
• Co-ordination of chambers' Management Information System, Web-Page and Internet
• Economic and Business related periodicals
• Chamber-services awareness-workshops in Cologne
• Training of Trainers in Cologne