Berne Union
Since 1999, we have been a member of the Berne Union, the International Association of Credit and Investment Insurers, which was founded in Bern in 1934.
The Berne Union promotes uniform principles for insuring export credits and investments, serving as a forum for cooperation between public and private credit insurance agencies, both during biannual meetings of all members, ad hoc seminars and workshops, as well as through the ongoing exchange of information and experiences among insurers. Guided by the message contained in the “Value Statement,” members of the Berne Union declare that activities related to supporting exports and foreign investments will be conducted in accordance with the highest ethical standards, financial responsibility, and respect for the natural environment. The Bern Union’s operating principles serve as guidelines for the provision of export credits (“Guiding Principles”). They reflect the core principles guiding its members’ operations and provide the basis for practices that promote sustainable economic development. Detailed provisions in the form of practical guidelines, compiled in the so-called “Operational Guidelines,” apply to short-term, medium-term, and long-term credits as well as to investments. The Bern Union’s activities are also based on external advocacy on behalf of its members in the form of so-called "Advocacy".
An important aspect of the Berne Union’s activities is supporting newly established credit and investment insurance agencies. In 1993, partly on our initiative, the Prague Club was founded—an organization operating under the auspices of the Berne Union. Its purpose was to create a forum for the exchange of information among newly established agencies and to promote the development of international trade by advocating uniform principles regarding the insurance of export credits and foreign investments. The members of the Prague Club were agencies from Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia, aspiring to membership in the Berne Union. During a meeting held in Warsaw in May 2016, representatives of the Berne Union and the Prague Club decided to fully integrate the two organizations. Currently, the Prague Club is one of the committees operating within the new, merged Berne Union.