OREANDA-NEWS.  February 20, 2012. An International Conference “Modernization and Innovations as a Strategy for Integrating Russian SMEs into the World’s Economic Area under WTO Conditions” was held in Moscow on February 15, 2012

State Corporation ‘Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank), the Russian Economic Development Ministry, the Russian Agency for Supporting Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), the Association of Agencies for Supporting Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises “Development”, the Russian Business- Innovation Network Gate2RuBIN acted as the Conference’s organizers.

The Conference’s main theme was to discuss prospects and opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enter international markets under WTO conditions. The Conference’s participants attached particular attention to SMEs’ access to financial-credit resources and to implementing projects in innovations and modernization. Specifically, they discussed mechanisms for promoting innovative SMEs on international markets as well as issues of providing legal support for their activity and personnel training. The Conference’s participants shared international experience in supporting innovative enterprises.

Speaking at the Conference Board Member, Vnesheconombank Deputy Chairman Mikhail Kopeikin stressed that providing support for small and medium-sized enterprises is one of Vnesheconombank’s top priorities. “Russian companies’ success story and above all innovative ones’ proves that small and medium-sized enterprises can be competitive at the global level if they find their niche on a specific market. And it is these enterprises that should form the basis for our economic growth. Development institutions should provide such companies with required resources for them to advance progressively”, said M. Kopeikin in his address.

In the attendance of the conference were more than 700 heads of small and medium-sized enterprises, federal and regional executive authorities, local authorities and expert organizations representing 58 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and 12 foreign countries.

The Conference worked out Recommendations on Upgrading Efficient Instruments for Supporting Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Creating a Favorable Environment for their Development on Interregional and International Markets under WTO Conditions.