ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - Vladimir Salamatov, General Director of World Trade Center in Moscow is taking part in 18th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2014) opened today. Over 40 panel sessions and round tables were organized; Global CEO Summit started its work on the first day of SPIEF-2014.

Such topics as “Challenges and solutions: addressing obstacles to business-driven growth” and “Translating challenges into opportunities: acting together” were discussed. Official agenda also included the meeting of the International Council for Cooperation and Investments “Challenges and opportunities for cooperation with Russia: the view from business”.

Furthermore, in the nearest 3-4 days the Summit will proceed to the discussion of other principal topics: “Spurring growth while mitigating risks”, “Realizing Russia’s competitive edge” and “Managing disruptions and embracing change”. Series of meetings with political leaders and business high rollers will be hold.

On May 23 the first results of the National rating of investment climate in Russian regions will be announced. The briefing on “Update: Single Economic Area and the Customs Union” and several panel sessions such as “Private sector solutions for regional development" and “The shanghai cooperation organization as a potential economic platform” are scheduled for the day as well.

Moreover the ratification of the Cooperation Agreement between Moscow World Trade Center and the government of the Rostov Region is planned on May 23. This document sets a win-win partnership, that allows to bringing together the efforts of both parties, and coordinates the analysis of outcomes of mutually advantageous elaboration of relations as well as working out and implementation of joint consulting projects in the following areas: scoping and application of the WTO Agreements and Regulations as an instrument of countermeasure against unfair competition, technical regulation and market analysis. The conduction of professional trainings by the experts from WTC Moscow’ special project “Russia in the WTO” for regional business is one of the important issues of the Agreement as well.

For more information on this article, please contact Yulia S. Ivanova, WTC Moscow, at YSIvanova@wtcmoscow.ru.