CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE (KAMERS VAN KOOPHAN DEL)

   Currently, the Netherlands has 21 Chambers of Commerce, but that number is to be reduced to 12. As of 1921, these organiza tions have dealt with the obligatory registration of all companies, foundations, and societies in the Netherlands—since 1997 in one commercialregister, the Handelsregister. Their other tasks are super vision and business advice. The present chambers have Dutch prede cessors in the 18th century, such as the College van Kooplieden (Board of Merchants) in Zeeland (1720) and the Comite van Koop handel en Zeevaert, Fabrieqen en Trafieken (Committee of Com merce and Seagoing, Factories, and Processing Industries) in Ams terdam and Rotterdam (1795). The first Chamber of Commerce was opened in Rotterdam in 1803, under pressure of the French. King William I confirmed their existence in 1815.