OREANDA-NEWS. November 12, 2010. In the course of the International Forum “Integration of Russian Business into the World Economy as a Strategy to Boost Competitiveness”, State Corporation ‘Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)’ and the Russian Agency for Support of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (CJSC) entered into an Agreement on Cooperation.

On behalf of Vnesheconombank the Agreement was signed by Management Board Member, Vnesheconombank Deputy Chairman Mikhail Kopeikin, on behalf of the Russian Agency for Support of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises - by its Director General Viktor Ermakov.

The Agreement aims to help to boost competitiveness of Russia’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and assist SMEs in implementing innovative and export-oriented projects.

Under the Agreement the parties have agreed to work out a range of measures aimed at:
formulating proposals for supporting SMEs in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation;
using the capabilities of the European Information Correspondence Center in Russia to arrange supplies of state-of-the art European equipment and technologies for Russian SMEs as well as promoting competitive Russian innovation export-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises to international markets;
supporting innovation projects implemented by small and medium-sized enterprises to be created by state-funded research and educational institutions in order to practically apply results of intellectual activities.

This Agreement’s implementation would make it possible to create favorable conditions for Russian innovation export-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises to operate successfully on international markets as well as to develop effective federal and regional infrastructure to support innovations and exports.

The Russian Agency for Support of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (CJSC) was established in 1992 on the initiative of the Russian Government and in cooperation with the British Government’s Know How Fund. Its founders include the Russian Trade and Industrial Chamber, the Plekhanov Academy and a number of major industrial companies. The Russian Agency’s mission is to provide top-quality consulting services to commercial and state-run companies, SME support organizations as well as municipal authorities in order to develop and raise their competitiveness.

The European Information and Correspondence Center in Russia has been operating on the basis of the Russian Agency for Support of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises since August 1, 2007. The center’s primary goal is to provide free information and consulting support to Russia’s and the European Union’s small and medium-sized enterprises interested in establishing and enhancing mutually beneficial business cooperation.