Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks German Confederation of Skilled

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks German Confederation of Skilled Crafts and Small Businesses Brussels, Feb. 2005

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks n ZDH: ZDH is the umbrella organisation of the Skilled Crafts in Germany and a Social Partner on national level n Members: ZDH is a registered association and unites - 53 Chambers of Skilled Crafts and SMEs - 42 national sector associations - and other related organisations

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks n Basis: 840. 000 enterprises, 5 Mio employees and over 500. 000 trainees constitutes make up ZDH’s basis for lobbying towards national government and the European Institutions

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks “Law on Skilled Crafts” Unlike in many other countries, a skilled crafts enterprise in Germany is not defined by the number of employees or by turnover, but by its membership to one of the skilled craft trades as laid out in the Crafts Act (“Handwerksordnung”). 94 crafts professions are itemised under the Crafts Act.

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks n Educational requirements in the field of German skilled crafts: 41 of the craft trades regulated by the Crafts Act require a person to be a Meiser (master) in order to start up a business. Ø Master Craftsman necessary degree to open up a business (obligatory for 41 professions) …/…

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks …/… Ø Master craftsman education takes 1 year (full time) or 3 years (part time) (company+school) Ø Apprenticeship takes 3 years (company + school) Ø Minimum requirement to become Apprentice 9 years of school

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks ZDH’s Points of focus: • • economic and financial policies taxation; access to finance SME development vocational education and training social policies regional policy environment, energy Europe – Lobby – Consulting (project development / management)

ZDH Consult (Located at Brussels‘ Office) Backstopping services by ZDH Consult – information – development – support – implementation for EU co-financed SME projects

ZDH Consult (Located at Brussels‘ Office) Topics: • business support services (ESF Art. 6: demographic change/management of restructuring; e. Governance/e. Administration; One Stop Shop; ……) • EU-Enlargement • mobility • VET • e. Learning • regional development • FP 6

ZDH-Consult (Located at Brussels‘ Office) Access to European Networks: • • • UEAPME + national members EICs Hanseatic Parliament (Baltic Sea Area) ARGE 28 Regions (e. g. EIRA) NRW, The Netherlands

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks Contact: Christopher Niehaus ZDH Rue Jacques de Lalaing 4 B-1040 Brussels Belgium Tel. : +32/ (0)2/ 286 80 60 Fax. : +32/ (0)2/ 230 21 66 E-mail: niehaus@zdh. de