About BICC
The Business Information and Clearing Center (BICC) is a non-governmental, not for profit organization, established in 2001 in Thessaloniki, Greece, by distinguished members of the Greek business community. Initially created as a connecting bond within the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), BICC developed into a partner of the broader mechanism for SEE development and cooperation, including the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe and the Business Advisory Council for Southeast Europe.

The core focus of BICC activities lies with the facilitation of public private partnerships and strategic investment targeting, as well as trade facilitation, through consultations with key international, regional and local investors in SEE, with experience in key sectors for the area’s stability and economic sustainability.

In terms of operations, BICC has contributed to project implementation of a regional range, in cooperation with reliable development partners, such as the World Bank, DG Enlargement (TAIEX Unit), SECIPRO, HELLENIC AID, HELLASPRO, and others.


An investment bridge across Southeast Europe
With a flexible and functional structure, BICC is an ideal communication channel and a consultative mechanism between the public sector, the business community and international institutions, aiming to create an added value for the SEE approach of Euro-Atlantic institutions through:
• Supporting inter-governmental plans, cross-border partnerships and various synergy schemes between all stakeholders in SEE development (public, private, local, regional and international)
• Facilitating private sector investment targeting, public decision making, regional strategic planning and coordination of program complementarities for sustainable development
• Establishing integral relations with the broader regional development network, and sustaining regional communication by maximizing the advantages of geographic proximity to the SEE emerging markets

The tools…
Addressing diverse entrepreneurial needs and adjustable to public and international development plans, BICC has produced tangible results for the facilitation of cooperation on multiple levels by:
• Developing a web portal to disseminate customized, executive, reliable and timely information
• Participating in international and regional fora to identify strategic tendencies in SEE
• Producing comprehensive reports, executive briefs and analyses for key economic sectors for SEE development and of interest to Greek, regional and international investors, as well as large, medium and/or small business structures
• Cooperating with other actors for the fruition of international, regional and local development initiatives
• Coordinating regional and international fora focusing on challenges and opportunities facing SEE – indicative:
o “Reconstruction in Southeast Europe: the challenge of Public-Private Partnerships”, April 2003, Thessaloniki, Greece, under the auspices of the Hellenic Presidency of the EU Council;
o “2004 Southeast European Trade and Transport Forum”, December 2004, Alexandroupolis, Greece, under the auspices of DG Enlargement TAIEX Unit and in cooperation with the World Bank.