OREANDA-NEWS. CCI of Russia Vice-President Georgy Petrov has met with Remi Arthus, Head of the CCI Paris Ile-de-France General Directorate for International and European Cooperation, in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia.

The meeting was also attended by CCI Paris Ile-de-France European Department Director Agathe Pacard and Head of the CCI Paris Ile-de-France Moscow office Vladimir Barkin.

Remi Arthus came to Moscow to present the change the CCI Paris underwent in its transformation into the CCI Paris Ile-de-France and discuss the opportunities and prospects for broadening inter-chamber cooperation.

The CCI Paris had traditionally been the main partner of the CCI of Russia in France, Georgy Petrov said at the beginning of the meeting. He also noted that the Russian entry into the WTO deprived chambers of commerce and industry of significant service capacities. For instance, a WTO ministerial conference this November may approve an agreement, under which manufacturers will start issuing goods origin certificates themselves. The issue of these certificates brings up to 40% of revenues of the CCI of Russia. In the words of Remi Arthus, membership fees are the main source of funding of chambers of commerce and industry in France (approximately 40%). The CCI of Russia gains only 2-3% of its revenues from membership fees, Georgy Petrov responded. In contrast to France, membership of enterprises in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia is voluntary. Thanks to the mandatory membership, the CCI Paris Ile-de-France unites 850,000 companies, Remi Arthus said.

A new cooperation agreement with the CCI of Russia is on the agenda due to reorganization of the CCI Paris into the CCI Paris Ile-de-France.

The sides also discussed cooperation prospects between chambers of commerce and industry of Russia and France.