The Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) dates back to 1890 and is the oldest chamber in Bulgaria. It re-launched its activities in 1990 under the conditions of the transition to market economy. It enjoys a reputation for the delivery of high quality business services on a local, national and international basis. Membership of RCCI is voluntary and currently stands at approximately 100 member companies. Membership reflects the mix of the economy of the Ruse region and includes the full range of large and small and medium sized companies in the production, trade and services sectors as well as other non-government business support organisations. The Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry might be described as "Mid-Atlantic" – that is, it has adopted features of both the continental European chambers, which focus on business and trade activities, and the American chambers, which focus on the economic development of their cities. Thus, the principle activities of The Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry are: • Promotion of the economic development of the Ruse region; • Lobbying local and central government and other public authorities to promote an understanding of the role and needs of the business; • Providing wide range of services to member and non-member companies to help develop their businesses, both at home and internationally.