Members of AmCham Macedonia’s Corporate Social Responsibility Committee have begun working with children ranging from 13-18 at the “11.Oktomvri” orphanage. On February 22nd, Elena Bundaleska and Jovanka Jovanchevska - Milenkoska, UACS professors began a series of public speaking workshops with 16+ year olds. Also, on March 12th, we hosted one group of children here at AmCham for a career exploration session led by volunteer Ivana Dojcinovska-Stojanovic, HR Director at Wabtec MZT AD Skopje. On February 14th, Maja Stevkova Sterieva and her colleagues from Komercijalna banka led a session on Money Management skills. On April 5th, Cementarnica USJE hosted a group of 15 children from 11.Oktomvri in their factory. On April 9th and 11th, Semos Education hosted 11 children for basic computer skill classes. Additional session is planned for April 16th. 

AmCham’s IPR committee meet with the IPR Coordinative Body at an offsite session in Krusevo on January 30-31st. The group discussed the implementation of the 2009-12 National IPR Strategy as well as identify possible improvements to the 2013-16 strategy to be drafted this year. 

A delegation of AmCham Macedonia’s IPR committee members and key IPR enforcement officials attended AmCham Serbia’s annual IPR conference in Arandelovac, Serbia on December 5-6, 2012. Attendees included key members of the State Industrial Property Office, State Market Inspectorate, Broadcasting Council as well as the Ministry of Interior. The target audience of this conference is primarily representatives of the Serbian State administration dealing with IPR issues (e.g., market inspection, customs administration, judiciary, Ministry of interior, tax administration, IP Office, special prosecutor’s office for high tech crime) but also members of AmCham Serbia’s IPR Committee and the interested members of the general public.

On Wednesday, October 17th, members of AmCham’s Workforce Development committee met with the Director of the State Employment Agency, Vlatko Popovski. Mr. Popovski presented the government’s ambitious plans to improve the quality of their databases and services as well as reduce widespread fraud generally believe to be in the system. He assured members that by August 2013, companies could expect vast improvements in the Agency’s services. AmCham members applauded the Agency’s introduction of electronic registration of employees some years ago as well as their intention to introduce individualized assessment and career planning of the country’s registered unemployed population. They expressed concern over the choice to engage only psychologists on a volunteer basis to achieve this enormous task, given that many professional career counselors already working in the country (and throughout Europe, for that matter) have degrees in the social sciences. They also questioned the quality standards that could be expected from volunteers. 

Unparalleled partner to more than 4000 companies and institutions in Macedonia in their international communication

AmCham Macedonia is informing all its members that AmCham Bulgaria in cooperation with local tourist agency is organizing visit to the National Restaurant Association’s annual show in Chicago in May 2013.  For more information please download the complete travel program.

The first SWT kick off Picnic will be held on Sunday, 19 May at 11:30 in the Army Stadium in the Skopje City Park. The SWTA are students from Macedonia who have worked and traveled in the United States as part of the U.S. Work and Travel Exchange Program. They have formed an association to cultivate the skills and experiences gained in the United States, to the greater benefit of Macedonia as a whole. Their activities so far have been a year-long project to develop youth entrepreneurship; student advocacy and assurance of a quality work and exchange program in the United States; youth outreach and presentations; and liaising with local recruiting agencies. The SWTA is the first such organization in the world, and they have the potential of inspiring some of the other 30,000 international students to develop their respective countries by further cultivating their American exchange experiences.

The LEED rating system (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a tool used to obtain a Green Buildings certification created in the United States and used in 134 countries in the world today.

The May/June 2013 issue of Commercial News USA is now available online. This publication features dozens of American exporters seeking partners worldwide. This issue’s featured sectors include: · Agriculture; · Environmental; · Consumer goods; · Medical/scientific products & equipment; · Hotel & restaurant equipment/food/food processing; · Automotive/aviation/marine; · Franchising; · Health & beauty/fashion; · Business services; · Building/construction/hardware; · Industrial equipment, services & supplies; · Sports & recreation; · Safety & security.

On April 25th, 2013 AmCham Macedonia held its 6th Annual Intellectual Property Rights Conference: Enforcement and Education. The event was opened by Mr. Valon Saracini, Minister of Economy. The main program consisted 3 panels and expert presentations. In the second part of the Conference an 

On March 28th, over 150 high profile guests from the academic, business and government community gathered in Aleksandar Palace to attend AmCham’s conference on “Exploring Opportunities to Advance Business-University Cooperation”.

On April 9th, AmCham organized an info session: Process and Implications from Mandatory Listing, in order to inform companies of the impact of the new legal requirement for certain companies to list on the MSE. Attendees had opportunity to learn about the MSE listing application process (e.g., deadlines, available tools, fees, “listing sponsor” requirement, the role of financial institutions) as well as what companies should expect after listing.

On March 28th, over 150 high profile guests from the academic, business and government community gathered in Aleksandar Palace to attend AmCham’s conference on “Exploring Opportunities to Advance Business-University Cooperation”.

On December 14, AmCham hosted a holiday gathering for members and friends. Ms. Liza Popovska, President of AmCham's Board of Directors briefly presented AmCham's priorities for 2013-2015. The evening continued in the holiday spirit with traditional music played by the Trio Drijada string band, egg nog, mulled wine and other typical delights served in the United States at this time of year. AmCham would like to thank its longtime members, Pivara Skopje AD and Tikves Skopje AD for their contribution of beverages enjoyed by guests at the event.

More than 30 participants attended this event, featuring a lively discussion on the reasons behind the very low participation of disabled people in the workforce at large in Macedonia. Presenter Aferdita Hadziyaha Imeri, Key Expert on Social Inclusion from the EU’s project on Fostering Social Inclusion and Inclusive Labor Market in Macedonia, said data on disabled people in the country were generally inadequate, including their rates of employment. She highlighted a clear tendency of disabled people not apply for employment benefits at all, or to work in so-called “sheltered” companies (which employ at least 40% handicapped individuals and therefore eligible to receive various State-provided benefits). She explained that, while the sheltered company benefits were advantageous in many ways, they contributed to virtual total exclusion of disabled people from the vast majority of companies and even State institutions.

In 2012, the following Amcham members donated funds and goods in kind to the SOS Children’s Village: Okta; S&T; Alliance One; Makedonijaturist, Johnson Controls, Pivara Skopje, Vitaminka, Skopski Pazar, Cakmakova Advocates, EVN Macedonia, Monevski Law Firm, Eurostandard Bank and Fersped - H. Aleksandar Palace and Veropulos. AmCham’s support of SOS Children’s Village will continue in 2013. If you would like to donate something, please consider the following “2012-13 wish list”. For more information, please contact our office at 3216 714 or via email communication@amcham.com.mk  .

To mark Global Entrepreneurship Week, the American Chamber of Commerce in Macedonia on November 13, 2012 organized a presentation on 'The Connection Between Intellectual Property Rights and Entrepreneurship in Macedonia' at the University American College Skopje. Roughly 30 students and 15 business people attended the event. Discussion topics included: Unique ideas as the foundation of any successful business plan; Employee rights to their inventions; Current IPRs enforcement challenges in Macedonia; IPRs as collateral to be used for further business development. This presentation was made possible by: Biljana Janeva, OEM Partner Account Manager, Microsoft Macedonia, Maja Jakimovska, Industrial Property Attorney, Cakmakova Advocates and Zivka Kostovska Stojkovska, Associate, SD PETOSEVIC DOO Skopje, Macedonia. The event was published on the website of Kapital Media Group.

We are pleased to welcome the following members of our Board of Directors elected at yesterday’s General Assembly: - Werner Hengst, Chairman of Mgmt Board, EVN Macedonia (BOD member 2010-12, re-elected yesterday); - Tibor Vidos, Chief Office for Key Issues – Makedonski Telekom AD Skopje; - Makrem Ghribi, Plant Manager – Johnson Controls Macedonia; - Miroslav Marchev, Tax and Legal Services Director – PricewaterhouseCoopers Macedonia. Thank you to all of the candidates as well as to the 43 member companies present at this important annual meeting.

On August 22nd, representatives of AmCham’s Board of Directors, Patron Members and Advocacy Committee presidents met with Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS), Philip Reeker, on his brief visit to the region. The meeting was hosted by U.S. Ambassador Wohlers at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence on Vodno and focused on AmCham Macedonia’s business advocacy efforts and ways in which U.S. diplomacy may support them. Philip Reeker is now DAS for European and Eurasian Affairs in the U.S. State Department, making him responsible for U.S. relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. The meeting focused on current events and trends in Macedonia’s investment environment and underscored the U.S. diplomatic community’s ongoing support for AmCham’s advocacy efforts.

On June 19, 2012 AmCham in cooperation with its CSR committee successfully organized workshop “Use of Social Media in the CSR”. Our guest speakers: Ms. Iskra Trajkovska, HR Manager at Nextsense and Ms. Sanja Bozik, Project Manager at Httpool provided the audience with tips and tricks on how to use social media to better CSR. The second part of the workshop, was dedicated to the representatives of the Twitter Community in Macedonia who have the experience to spread the social idea and need through the social media: Ms. Tamara Atanasoska, Freelancer -Developer, Mr. Darjan Radenkovic, Communication and Public Relations at Winner Insurance and Mr. Dimitar Atanasov, Marketing Manager at Diem-GP. Special thanks to UACS for their generous support and excellent cooperation.