The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC; French: Chambre de commerce internationale (CCI) is the largest, most representative business organization in the world. Its hundreds of thousands of member companies in over 180 countries have interests spanning every sector of private enterprise.
ICC has three main activities: rule setting, dispute resolution, and policy advocacy. Because its member companies and associations are themselves engaged in international business, ICC has unrivalled authority in making rules that govern the conduct of business across borders. Although these rules are voluntary, they are observed in countless thousands of transactions every day and have become part of international trade.
A world network of national committees in over 90 countries advocates business priorities at national and regional level. More than 2,000 experts drawn from ICC’s member companies feed their knowledge and experience into crafting the ICC stance on specific business issues.
ICC keeps the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and many other intergovernmental bodies, both international and regional, in touch with the views of international business. ICC was the first organization granted general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
The International Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1919 to serve world business by promoting trade and investment, open markets for goods and services, and the free flow of capital. The organization's international secretariat was established in Paris and the ICC's International Court of Arbitration was created in 1923.
ICC's first chairman was 20th-century French Minister of Finance Etienne Clémentel. ICC's current chairman is Harold McGraw III.Sunil Bharti Mittal is Vice-Chairman and Gerard Worms is Honorary Chairman. In June 2014, John Danilovich was elected Secretary General of ICC by the ICC World Council.
