Bosnia and Herzegovina has a long tradition of organizing associations of craftsmen and other business entities. Over time, it has followed the same or a similar path as most European countries. Under the model of public-law associations, chambers of commerce in Bosnia and Herzegovina appeared almost 100 years ago.

Following the example of Austrian legislation, the Chamber of Trade and Crafts in Sarajevo was established in 1909. After that, in Sarajevo in 1925 and then in Banja Luka in 1928, chambers of trade and industry were established. With the adoption of the Law on Craft Workshops of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, two craft chambers were established in 1931 – in Sarajevo and Banja Luka. The chambers held annual congresses to discuss the common interests of the economy.

After the Second World War in former Yugoslavia, district craft chambers and craft chambers of the republics as federal units were established in 1949, and in 1953 sectoral chambers were established in districts and republics for: trade, hospitality, crafts, agriculture, forestry and transport.

By the Law on Unified Chambers of Commerce of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1962, the Chamber of Economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina was formed with its seat in Sarajevo, along with chambers of commerce for the regions of Sarajevo, Bihać, Banja Luka, Doboj, Mostar, Tuzla and Zenica. All further development of regulations on chambers of commerce in Bosnia and Herzegovina retained the model of a unified-general chamber.

After the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement on 21/11/1995, which ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the chamber system in BiH also had to be adapted to the new structure of the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During 1998/99, cantonal chambers were constituted in the territory of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina through the transformation of existing regional chambers or, where necessary, by establishing new ones.
On November 16, 1999, the First Constituent Assembly was held in Sarajevo, thereby establishing the Chamber of Economy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

All chambers in the Federation of BiH have the status of legal entities and broad powers in representing and promoting the economy in their area of operation.