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The International Council for Cooperation and Investment (ICCI), an advisory body with the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) was established in February 2008 as a platform for foreign and Russian businesses dialogue with Russian authorities. The ICCI brings together leading foreign investors in Russia’s economy, business associations and chambers of commerce.
The establishment of the Council was welcomed by Presidential Aide Sergey Prikhodko and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov. The ICCI events have been attended by the Russian Economic Development Minister E. Nabiullina, the First Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister A. Denisov and CEOs of over 70 major companies operating in Russia.
The ICCI is chaired by the RSPP President Alexander Shokhin and co-chaired by the head of the RSPP International Cooperation Committee Viktor Vekselberg and the leaders of national business associations – the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia, the Chairman of the Board of the Association of European Businesses, the head of the Japanese Business Club, the Chairman of the Russian-German Chamber of Commerce and the Director General of the Franco-Russian Chamber of Commerce.
By now, the ICCI has turned into an important mechanism of Russian and foreign businesses engagement with Russian authorities. On the one hand, the Council provides a platform for coordination of Russian and foreign market players’ efforts aimed at improving business environment in Russia. On the other hand, the Russian government has a partner with consolidated positions on the key issues of foreign companies’ activities in Russia.
Another important goal of the ICCI members is to inform their governments of the trends in Russia’s investment climate and advise them relevant authorities of the members’ agreed position on the key issues of the international agenda.
- Technical regulation and licensing
- General issues concerning investment
- Customs control
- Tax
- Addressing overregulation of business activities
- Capital markets
- Investment in Russian regions
- Council members` areas of interest
The establishment of the ICCI allowed consolidating the platforms for discussion on the key issues concerning investment climate in Russia. The ICCI serves as a key partner for the Russian Government in discussing international companies’ activities in Russia.
To achieve its strategic goals the ICCI carries out the following functions:
- Elaborates proposals to strengthen business-government cooperation mechanisms in economic and trade spheres;
- Supports its members in implementation their business strategies in economic and trade activities, including investment, in Russia;
- Contributes to the creation of necessary conditions for growth and diversification of economic and trade activities in Russia, and favorable investment reputation of Russia abroad;
- Participates in international trade and economic regulatory framework development;
- Develops proposals aimed at encouraging Russian and international companies’ business initiatives;
- Promotes information sharing in the area of investment in Russia;
- Elaborates measures to improve investment practices and standards in the Russian market;
- Presents the consolidated positions of the Council members to the government authorities and international non-government organisations;
- Stimulates intergovernmental dialogue on the Council’s areas of work;
- Promotes collaboration between the Council members and the RSPP bodies;
- Supports its members in establishment and development of economic, investment, scientific and technical cooperation with Russian companies and other institutions;
- Generalizes its members proposals in accordance with the RSPP position on trade and economic relations and business climate improvement;
- Provides information on trade, economic and investment legislation and lawmaking activities in Russia and its regions;
- Organizes business visits of its members to Russian regions;
- Participates in organizing exhibitions, workshops, conferences and other events initiated by its members.