Background information

The initiative is run by the Chamber of Crafts (Chambre des Métiers) and the Chamber of Commerce (Chambre du Commerce).

The "Bourse d'entreprises" aims to facilitate and encourage the transfer and takeover of craft enterprises. In this context, a Charter has been established with the aim of making its management and operation transparent, of the services offered and the commitment of the Chambre des Métiers and the members.

The Companies' Exchange of the Chamber of Commerce provides a platform on which business owners can offer to sell their company and potential business buyers can look for a company to purchase. The objective is to bring buyers and sellers together and to conclude a transfer.

Content of measure

The owner has to fill in a relatively detailed form (fiche signalétique). This requires details on issues such as the type of business, its location, its legal form, the number and qualification of employees, the language used in the business, and the size of the business premises. However, in order to protect the anonymity of firms, this detailed information is not published. It is only used in the matching process.

The collected data are analysed and the most relevant features are included in a summary. The Chamber of Crafts publishes all of this summarised information on the internet and an extract in its regular publication called d´Handwierk. Interested people or enterprises must first contact the Chamber. If both parties agree, the Chamber will then organise an initial meeting between the potential partners. The Chamber will mediate these meetings and will also give free advice on issues such as legal and financial matters. There are no costs involved for participants and advertisements are published for an unlimited period.

The Chamber of Commerce manages its own 'Business Exchange' in cooperation with the Chamber of Crafts. Both participate in a project of transborder successors' bourses that covers Luxembourg and the two French regions Alsace and Lorraine.

Use of measure

According to the Chamber of Crafts, the measure is quite efficient. Over 100 participants are permanently registered with the crafts sector. It can be estimated that between 100 and 150 takeovers are carried out every year in Luxembourg and around 15 of these occur in the crafts sector. Since 2000, the Chamber of Crafts has had 350 clients on this scheme, with a success rate of about 10%.

According to the Chamber of Commerce, in 2015 (latest data available), 25 new offers of business to take over in Luxembourg were published and 58 new recovery applications were registered. In terms of personal advice, 56 interviews were conducted. Finally, 35 contacts between sellers and potential buyers were organised by the advisors of the Chamber of Commerce.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Company / Companies	Companies Employers organisation

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Unknown

Views and reactions

Unknown

Sources

• 10 March 2003: European Commission, 2003, Helping the transfer of businesses, A ‘good practice guide’ of measures for supporting the transfer of businesses to new ownership, Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. (op.europa.eu)
• 11 August 2015: Bourse d'Entreprises (Chambre des métiers) (www.yde.lu)
• 11 October 2016: House of Entrepreneurship (Chambre de Commerce) (www.houseofentrepreneurship.lu)