The origin of the Organisation goes back to 1902 (GYOSZ).
In 1998 the two biggest federations the Federation of Industrialists and the Hungarian Employer's Association merged, creating the largest employers representative organisation (MGYOSZ). The Confederation counts among his members around 50 sectoral professional associations and 16 regional employers' associations. The Confederation represents the interest of thousands of companies, employing 1.2 million employees.

Through its functions of mediating and representing the member interests, the Confederation influences economic and labour policy-making. It represents the interests on a macro level and passes on the proposals worked out by its members. It maintains contacts with the Parliament, the government and state administration and makes every effort to represent the entrepreneurs' interests. It also prepares analyses, expresses opinions and prepares proposals on corporate and the current economic policy concepts.

MGYOSZ is member of:

• BUSINESSEUROPE
• International Organisation of Employers (IOE)
• International Labour Organisation (ILO)
• Business and Industry Advisory Committee to OECD (BIAC)
• International Congress of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ICIE)

MGYOSZ as the only Hungarian employers’ organisation has been running a representation office in Brussels since 2002.
MGYOSZ is proud of its wide-spread bilateral relations and has signed several agreements of mutual assistance with partner federations in the EU and in third countries.

In 2008, with the participation of several Hungarian clusters, MGYOSZ initiated the foundation of the Confederation of Hungarian Clusters, which has been integrated to its structure, and with which a cross-membership was realized. One of the aims of the Confederation of Hungarian Clusters is to contribute to the strengthening, development of the new, and already existing Hungarian clusters with high potential of R&D, innovation, export. First, important element of the activities is the implantation and dissemination of the new forms of entrepreneurship. Therefore, the Confederation of Hungarian Clusters organized a delegation to the InterCluster 2008 conference in Paris. The establishment of international partnerships, co-operations is essential to clusters mostly composed by SMEs. To help achieve these goals a set of services are available, based on a large membership. The services respond to the different needs of the clusters during their development.
The different tools, such as education, training, workshops, participation to international and EU events open gates to any member, who requires them. The Confederation helps its members to gain access to EU funding, international partnerships, and inter-cluster co-operations.The whole structure of MGYOSZ, including the Confederation of Hungarian Clusters, reinforced its already existing relations with partner organizations on an international level, that way promoting the recognition of Hungarian clusters, helping them to improve their competitiveness and gain access to the new European and international markets.

CONFEDERATION OF HUNGARIAN CLUSTERS

Hungarian clusters' background

The first governmental policy and support for clusters was launched in 2001. After joining the EU in 2004, the Prime Minister's office put special emphasis on clustering the strongest high-tech industries in Hungary: mechatronics in the west and north of the country, medical-, pharma-, bio-technologies in the south and east of the country, and ICT through the Centre and in the capital, Budapest.
Now in 2009, cluster policy has become one of the key elements of Hungarian economic policy with about 100 clusters throughout the country, covering most fields of activity: energy, tourism, business services, healthcare/biotechnology, ICT, construction, furniture, automotive/machinery, environmental industry, nanotechnology, etc.
Moreover, Hungary has a representative in the European Cluster Policy Group set up by the European Commission.

The Confederation of Hungarian Clusters

The Confederation of Hungarian Clusters is an independent body created in May 2008 by 13 founding clusters together with the Confederation of Hungarian Employers' and Industrialists, MGYOSZ whose membership accounts for nearly 70% of Hungarian GDP.
It is the only Hungarian organisation set up by clusters and representing clusters.

Objectives

Besides representing the interests of its members, important objectives for the Confederation of Hungarian Clusters are to:

• contribute to the development of new clusters in Hungary
• strengthen the already existing ones and prepare them for future challenges
• promote new forms of management needed by clusters and networks
• increase the international visibility of Hungarian clusters
• promote international partnerships and inter-cluster co-operations

In order to help achieve these goals, a set of services are already available or planned. They respond to the specific needs of Hungarian clusters. The Confederation of Hungarian Clusters has also created the CEC (Club of European Clusters), which organises regular gatherings and seminars for Hungarian business and cluster leaders.

International activities

The Confederation is starting to establish an international network of partner organisations especially in Central Europe with the Czech Cluster Association and the Polish Cluster Connection Point. It is also building contacts all over Europe with Europa InterCluster, the Agency for cluster cooperation based in Brussels.
The Confederation is already a partner in several cluster related actions of the PRO INNO Europe initiative of the European Union's CIP (Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme). The confederation is also the leader of a Visegrad Group (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) project on cluster management.