The Institute of Contemporary Development hosted the Third All-Russia Forum for Directors of Electronics Companies “New Electronics of Russia”.

Dmitry Severov, Deputy Minister of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation pointed out to importance of the subject “New Electronics of Russia”, saying that the Russian school of engineering boasts unique solutions and developments. The forum participants gathered to understand what should be changed in regulations applicable to this industry. At the same time, they wanted to measure independence of the engineering sector, to study its competitive environment and to work out grounds of cooperation between the industry and the government.

Artyom Shadrin, Deputy Director of the Strategic Management and Budgeting Department in the Russian Ministry of Economic Development spoke about initiatives of the ministry. These include boosting competitiveness of the hi-tech sectors of the Russian economy; development of taxation policy, tax administration, boosting of demand for hi-tech products; pursuit of innovative solutions applied within the public sector of the economy; support of companies’ pursuit of innovative solutions; support of the export activities and self-organization initiatives of the industry.

The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Yuri Borisov said that the engineering sector is currently experiencing a deep structural and technological crisis. “We analyzed the situation and understood that it is necessary to start from the elementary base,” he said.

“It is crucial to provide the necessary conditions for production of hi-tech equipment in Russia and to promote development of this industry,” said Anton Guskov representing the Association of Trading Companies and Manufacturers of Consumer Electronic and Computer Equipment. “Duties against components serve as major barriers slowing down the sector’s development. It is necessary to balance the gap between duties on components and duties on products,” he said.

The forum participants established the following goals for 2009:

- to outline development schedule through 2015;
- to lobby for lower import duties for components;
- to lobby for revision of prohibitive duties for imported products;
- to lobby for revision of VAT payment schedule.