Handwerkskammer (Aufgaben)

• § Section 91 of the Crafts Code (HwO)

The Chamber of Skilled Crafts (HWK) is a public corporation based on the German Crafts Code (HwO). As a self-governing body for the entire skilled crafts sector, the chambers of skilled crafts represent the interests of the skilled crafts sector. They include the self-employed craftsmen and the owners of craft-like businesses in the Chamber of Crafts district as well as the journeymen, other employees who have completed vocational training and the apprentices (trainees) of these tradespeople. As with all professional chambers, membership is compulsory.

The tasks of the Chamber of Skilled Crafts are in particular

• to promote the interests of the skilled trades and to ensure a fair balance between the interests of the individual skilled trades and their organizations,
• to support the authorities in promoting the skilled crafts sector, e.g. by making suggestions and preparing expert reports,
• to prepare regular reports on the situation of the skilled crafts sector,
• to maintain the register of craftsmen,
• to regulate vocational training, in particular inter-company training, and to monitor its implementation; this includes
  • keeping a register of apprentices,
  • issuing examination regulations and setting up examination boards for this purpose,
  • issuing journeyman's examination regulations for the individual trades,
  • to issue master craftsman examination regulations for the individual trades and to manage the business of the master craftsman examination committee.

Furthermore, the chambers of skilled crafts support their members both by providing legal advice and by advising companies. In doing so

• appointing and swearing in experts to provide expert opinions on the goods, services and prices of tradespeople and
• set up mediation centers to settle disputes between the owners of a skilled crafts business and their clients.

Contact the Chamber of Crafts responsible for you.

Contact the Chamber of Crafts responsible for you.