The Skilled Crafts Organisation and the ZDH

Being responsible for the whole of the German skilled crafts sector, the skilled crafts organisation is divided into two pillars: the chambers of skilled crafts and the national confederations of skilled crafts.

Chambers of Skilled Crafts

Chambers of skilled crafts are public corporations with mandatory membership for every skilled craft business. The chambers offer a wide range of services, from comprehensive training and professional development at their own vocational training centres to technical, business, and legal advice. They maintain the skilled crafts register and are responsible for overseeing the examination process. As self-regulating bodies, they also represent the interests of skilled crafts within their chamber district to political authorities and public administration. At the state level, this role is taken on by the working groups of the state’s chambers of skilled crafts or the state craft representatives. Nationally, the 53 chambers of skilled crafts are united under the umbrella organisation, the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (DHKT).

National Confederations of Skilled Crafts

The approximately national confederations of skilled crafts  are organisations with voluntary membership, and together form the German Association of Skilled Crafts Confederations (UDH). They represent the professional interests of specific crafts or trades. These associations offer a range of specialised advice and Services tailored to their members’ needs. They also function as employers’ organisations, responsible for egotiating wage agreements and managing shared institutions between social partners. The structure of skilled crafts is organised from the ground up: At the local level, self-employed craftspersons can form a guild, with membership being optional. These local guilds are then grouped into district craft associations at the regional level, while at the state level, there are overarching state associations.  

The ZDH

The DHKT and UDH are united under the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH), headquartered in Berlin. As a leading body within the German economy, the ZDH addresses a wide range of political issues related to the skilled crafts sector. It serves as a strong voice for around 1 million businesses and 5.6 million employees (as of June 2024), consolidating and representing their interests to the Bundestag, the Federal Government, and other key authorities, as well as to the European Union and international organisations. The ZDH regularly publishes position papers and statements to clearly present the stance of the skilled crafts sector on relevant topics to the public. Additionally, the ZDH collaborates with partner associations within the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Mittelstand. At the European level, the ZDH is a member of SMEunited, the European association for crafts and SMEs, as well as the Small Business Standards (SBS) association. It also maintains a representation office at the European Union in Brussels. Alongside coordinating political activities for the skilled crafts at the European Level and maintaining relationships with partner organisations, the ZDH’s Brussels office develops European projects for German skilled crafts organisations