The conference convened representatives of government organizations, business community, small and medium enterprises, aspiring entrepreneurs, leading experts in international business, export, business contacts with foreign countries.

The conference convened representatives of government organizations, business community, small and medium enterprises, aspiring entrepreneurs, leading experts in international business, export, business contacts with foreign countries.

Among the participants of the forum also were delegates from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Finland.

The acting Minister of Economic Development and Industry Viktoria Igasheva welcomed the participants:

“The Government of Karelia is doing significant work in fostering an environment for economic growth and investment climate in Karelia. Our Republic is a modern and fast-developing region. This year the Republic adopted 18 programs of supporting small and medium enterprises. We have established organizations for business support: Corporation for Development of the Republic of Karelia, Foundation for Credit Assistance to Small and Medium Enterprises of the Republic of Karelia. I wish you fruitful work and engaging discussions that will facilitate international cooperation between Karelian small and medium enterprises and foreign companies.”

Yury Shurygin, the Executive Director of the Association of Small and Medium Exporters, said that the mission of the association is to assist in establishing contacts between Russian producers and foreign buyers.

The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia Aleksandr Pankratov highlighted that the organization participates in the cross-border cooperation program with Finnish colleagues:

“Its aim is to further strengthen the cross-border cooperation between Petrozavodsk and Joensuu, between Finland and Karelia; develop marketing concepts of Joensuu and Petrozavodsk that would be attractive for business in both countries; interaction between students in international business activities. I hope that at the Forum everyone will find partners for developing joint international business.”

The official program continued with a report of the head of the Northwestern territorial directorate of Russian Export Center Sergey Solomin (Saint Petersburg). He talked about the state support for exporters offered by the Russian Export Center.

The event featured panel discussion “Current Issues of Export Activities of Small and Medium Enterprises in the Russian Federation”. The discussion was moderated by Valery Shlyamin, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Academic Director of the Institute of Northern European Studies of PetrSU.

Valery Shlyamin has held public office in Karelia and for 15 years headed the Trade Commission of Russia in Finland.

On behalf of the Rector of Petrozavodsk State University, Flagship University of Karelia, Valery Shlyamin wished Karelian entrepreneurs successful development of export activities.

“PetrSU has an extensive capacity for innovation and experience in exporting services. We thank the organizers for the opportunity to host such a respectable forum. We see this as a vote of confidence,” said Valery Shlyamin.

He pointed out to the guests from abroad and Russian regions that the Republic of Karelia is a transit and resource region on the border of Russia, the European Economic Union, and the European Union.

“We hope that our Forum will be a comfortable environment for introducing our project initiatives and lay the groundwork for industrial cooperation, which will undoubtedly foster the competitiveness of the exporters from countries and regions participating in the event. It is not an overstatement to say that export developments of national small and medium enterprises are one of the largest spaces for development of regional economies. Nevertheless there are well-known inherent constraints at the levels of government authority, institutes of development and business associations that entrepreneurs have to overcome in order to succeed. With this in mind I am convinced that judging by the agenda of the panel discussion and roundtables our Forum will certainly bring us one step closer to the desired results,” clarified Valery Shlyamin.

The discussion included Pavel Zolotov, an export trade adviser of the Russian Export Center, official representative of FoodConnect (China) in Russia (Chelyabinsk), renowned Russian expert in trading in market of the People’s Republic of China and other countries in Southeastern Asia. He presented the capacity of this booming market for Russian exporters.

Elena Kapranova (Nizhny Novgorod), expert of the REC, expert of the Russian Tax Service Portal, acting member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, Director of the Negotiant consulting company that has extensive experience in international trade, noted that “in export of every, especially small, enterprise it is essential to correctly prepare a contract, minimize costs, keep accounting records in accordance with both national and foreign legislation”.

The discussion also included Viktoria Agasheva, the acting Minister of Economic Development and Industry of Karelia, Sergey Kudriavtsev, Development Director of the Baltic-Eurasian Chamber of Entrepreneurs (Tallinn, Estonia), chief expert of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Pskov Oblast, Sergey Solomin, the head of the Northwestern territorial directorate of Russian Export Center (Saint Petersburg), Yury Shurygin, the Executive Director of the Association of Small and Medium Exporters (Moscow).

The program of the Forum included both “theory” and practice. On the margins of the event, the visiting Russian and foreign experts held workshops on current issues of export: “Entry into the market of China and Southeastern Asia for Karelian SMEs. Specifics, limitations and prospects”, “Prospects, benefits and efficiency of Karelian SMEs in the EU countries – practical business models”,  “Searching foreign partners for Karelian SMEs. Developing sales system in international markets”, “Algorithm of export activities of Karelian SMEs”.

The Youth Innovation Park of PetrSU held Business Contacts Exchange.

In the framework of the Forum OOO Karelsky Gabbro-Diabaz and Finnish Kaivopuiston Randek Oy have signed a foreign trade contract on the supply of natural stone. The event also featured the awarding of the winner of the contest “Exporter of the Year in the Northwestern Federal District”.

The organizers of the conference are the Ministry of Economic Development and Industry of Karelia, export support center the Corporation of Development of the Republic of Karelia.  

At the end of the conference, the participants of the workshops will be awarded certificates of Petrozavodsk State University, a partner of the Forum.