Architecture of Business Programme Released for Russian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
The architecture of the business programme of the Russian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Forum, which will take place on 2 June on the opening day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, has been published on the event’s official website. The programme sessions encompass key aspects of support and development for SMEs in Russia.
“Small and medium-sized business is the foundation of the economy and a key indicator of the current status of socioeconomic development. During the pandemic, urgent measures were taken to support small and medium-sized businesses. Today, we are looking towards the future. It is essential to develop and implement long-term programmes that will give a new impetus to the development of SMEs in the country,” said Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the Russian President and Executive Secretary of the SPIEF Organizing Committee.
One of the main discussion topics at the SME Forum will be measures to support SMEs, which Russian President Vladimir Putin gave instructions to prepare during his address to the Federal Assembly.
“OPORA RUSSIA has been a co-organizer of the SME Forum for more than five years, and each year this platform hosts a very intense discussion. Entrepreneurs and members of OPORA RUSSIA come to the event from all over the country to hear the latest information. And, most importantly, the decisions made at the Forum will further form the basis of the legislative acts adopted in our country. The SME Forum is particularly important this year. On 21 April 2021, during the President’s address to the Federal Assembly, he gave instructions to submit proposals to support SMEs within a month. OPORA RUSSIA has already sent its proposals to support SMEs to the government, the chambers of the parliament, the presidential administration and the State Council on SMEs. Our proposals touched upon the most pressing issues concerning small business: promoting exports, reducing administrative barriers, increasing investment activity, and several other issues. We plan to discuss all the proposals in detail at the SME Forum because they determine how small and medium-sized businesses will thrive in the future. Small and medium business is the largest employer in our country and a guarantor of socioeconomic stability and the dynamic development of society. This is why entrepreneurs need to take part in the SME Forum, particularly since the Forum will be broadcast online,” OPORA RUSSIA President Alexander Kalinin said.
The Forum’s business programme will include discussions on the involvement of SMEs in the implementation of major infrastructure projects, promising markets for the SME sector, the development of entrepreneurial education, cooperation among small and big businesses, and the development of youth entrepreneurship, among other issues. The slogan of the Forum’s plenary session will be ‘SME Development Strategy: Digital Services for Business’. A separate session will be devoted to the reform of control, supervision, licensing, and authorization activities and the protection of the entrepreneurs’ rights. In addition, the event programme will feature a financial battle called ‘Will loans remain the best financing instrument or are there alternatives to raise funds more efficiently?’ The results of the national competition on the history of entrepreneurship ‘The Heritage of Outstanding Entrepreneurs of Russia’ will also be announced on the sidelines of the Forum.
“The SPIEF traditionally kicks off with a discussion of important issues concerning the development of small and medium-sized business. This year, the discussion is especially important since entrepreneurs need to understand how to work in the new economic realities and what support measures the state will continue to provide. In addition, it is crucial for entrepreneurs to have high-quality non-financial services. The format of the sessions, which will be attended by a wide range of experts, will help to find optimal solutions not only for the SME sector, but also for the entire economy. We always advocate an open dialogue with business, as this is the principle that underlies our new development strategy,” SME Corporation CEO Alexander Isayevich said.
The Russian Small and Medium-sized Business Forum is an annual event that is held to discuss the current state of small and medium-sized businesses and measures to enhance their role in the Russian economy. The Forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation, the SME Corporation, and the OPORA RUSSIA All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium Business.
