WASHINGTON, DC, USA, October 19, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The United States Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights (USIDHR) today called on the Romanian Parliament to reject an amended Chamber of Commerce bill that, if passed, would lead to violations of the right to freedom of association and business security in Romania. The proposed legislation would give the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIR), a private non-governmental entity, the authority to impose mandatory membership fees on businesses, as well as give CCIR the power to shut down bilateral chambers of commerce, joint business councils and any business association that doesn’t comply with registering into a self-made “National Register.”

Several other international organizations located in Romania, such as the American Chamber of Commerce in Romania (AmCham), to which the law will apply, have also declared their disappointment and concern, arguing that this legislation would consolidate power within the CCIR and significantly reduce the autonomy of other business associations in the region.

It is indeed regrettable that, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Romania's Strategic Partnership with the United States of America, a draft law regarding the associative environment - which passed the Romanian Senate and is based on an ambiguous statement of reasons from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CCIR) - is overshadowing the fulfillment of a quarter-century of Partnership. The said draft law represents a clear violation of the Romanian Constitution, as well as of international treaties to which Romania is a party, such as the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In addition, it runs contrary to the fundamental principles on which the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States of America is based, namely democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. Therefore, we call on the Romanian Parliament to reject this draft law entirely.

We express our confidence that the Romanian Parliament, through its Decisional Chamber and the Chamber of Deputies, will not adopt the legislative changes in question in the form of the draft law that was voted on by the Romanian Senate. We believe these changes would be detrimental to the rule of law and democracy in Romania and set a dangerous precedent that no other country in the world has. We urge the Parliament to reject this draft law and instead work to uphold the rule of law and protect fundamental democratic values, where business associations and bilateral chambers of commerce are allowed the free exercise of their freedom of association.

Press Office
US Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights
+1 888-487-4347
email us here