More EU business leaders to attend SPIEF
There will be a much larger delegation of European business leaders at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2016, according to Jean-Pierre Thomas, a member of the Dialogue Franco-Russe (Franco–Russian Dialogue) association.
“The situation is changing. I have been looking at the list of those who have been invited in the preparatory documents for the Forum. The trend is now moving in the opposite direction. I think that there will be many more Europeans in St. Petersburg this June”, commented Thomas. “I also believe that European politicians will stop being overcautious and will travel to St. Petersburg. In any case, there will be a lot of representatives from French, Italian, and even German companies. They will definitely attend. I can say with confidence that their numbers will increase”, emphasized Thomas.
“The Davos Forum is very important; lots of Russian business leaders were there. But the Forum in St. Petersburg is a much more international event: it is more focused on relations with Asia and China.
The removal of sanctions is an inevitable process. The St. Petersburg Forum is a good opportunity to discuss joint activities in the post-sanctions period. It is this Forum that we really need to prepare for.
I am inviting companies so that they will come, so that they will consolidate their presence in Russia under normal competitive conditions once sanctions have been lifted”, concluded Thomas.
Source: http://www.vestifinance.ru/articles/67019 (Russian)
