Parliament Proceedings Devoted to the Development of Congress and Exhibition Activities in Russia Took Place at the Council of the Federation

20 / 02 / 2014

Parliament proceedings were held on February 19, 2014 at the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federal Assembly. They were devoted to the legal basis of the exhibition, fair and congress activities as a mechanism for competitive growth and promotion of the Russian goods and services to domestic and foreign markets.       

The participants in the hearings were Chairperson of the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federal Assembly Valentina Matvienko, First Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federal Assembly Alexander Torshin, Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federal Assembly Vyacheslav Shtyrov, Chairman of the Council of the Federation Committee on Economic Policy Yuri Neyolov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Georgy Kalamanov, State Secretary/Deputy Minister of Regional Development Svetlana Ivanova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science Veniamin Kaganov, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation (RF CCI) Sergey Katyrin, Chairman of the RF CCI Committee for Exhibitions and Fairs and Support of Producers and Exporters and Director General of Expocentre ZAO Sergey Bednov, and representatives of the federal ministries and departments, regional authorities, associations of entrepreneurs, territorial chambers of commerce and industry, the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs, and exhibition organizations.

Valentina Matvienko, the Chairperson of the Council of the Federation opened the parliament proceedings. She said that Russia faced one of the most important tasks: to move from the economy based on raw materials export to the innovative development model. “Actually, I am speaking about creating conditions for the development of new high-tech industries and high-quality productions in our country. One of the most effective tools is the exhibition, fair and congress activities”.

“In recent years attention to this line of activity has increased both at the federal and regional levels of government”, said the speaker of the Council of the Federation. “Our country has gained a considerable experience in both carrying out exhibition events of the most diverse formats and its participation in the largest international trade fairs and conventions. We have our own quite reputable platforms for holding exhibitions and conventions at the highest level”.

She paid particular attention to the legislative regulation concerning the exhibition, fair and congress activities. “We should consider the proposal for the development of the draft federal law on Exhibition, Fair and Congress Activities in the Russian Federation very attentively”, stressed the speaker of the Upper House of the Russian Parliament.

President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Sergey Katyrin thinks that in terms of Russia’s accession to the WTO, increased competition at the most industrial markets, and development of economic globalization, the congress and exhibition activity is one of the most important tools for Russia’s economic policy.

Chairman of the RF CCI Committee for Exhibitions and Fairs and Support of Producers and Exporters and Director General of Expocentre ZAO Sergey Bednov reported the expert estimation according to which the turnover of the Russian exhibition market made up around 800 billion dollars which was equivalent to the 7th place in the world. However, Russia occupies only 2% of the total area of the world exhibition centers, which is very little taking into account the territory of our country. In the USA this key figure amounts to 20%, in China – 15%, in Germany – 10%.

The solution to the said problems is outlined in the draft of a new complex Development Concept of the Exhibition, Fair and Congress Activities in Russia. To bring the regulatory framework into line with real requirements of the exhibition industry, it is necessary to draft without delay a common statutory act at the federal level – the Law on Exhibition, Fair and Congress Activities in the Russian Federation, said Sergey Bednov.

The participants in the hearings discussed general provisions of the draft Law on Exhibition, Fair and Congress Activities in the Russian Federation, a draft Concept of Exhibition, Fair and Congress Activities in the Russian Federation, and the Plan of its realization, measures to promote the regional facilities of the exhibition, fair and congress activities with due regard to a new draft law on public and private partnerships, as well as upgrading of the exhibition, fair and congress activities, its part in carrying out the programme of Russia’s foreign economy strategy.

Expocentre Press Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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