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.