The guest of our column today is Olga FEDULOVA, the President of Union 'Omsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry'.
-Good afternoon, Ms. FEDULOVA!
- Good afternoon!
- We congratulate you on election as a Head of Union 'Omsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry'. Is it your first interview in a new capacity?
- You're right. Thank you for congratulations.
- Ms. FEDULOVA, you have been working in the CCI system for more than 20 years.
- Yes, I started working in Omsk CCI in 1993 after graduation from Omsk Institute of Technology (now it’s the Institute of Service). The same year the Federal Law 'On Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the Russian Federation' was adopted. It was a very important and significant event for us! Omsk Chamber has functioned for 1 year. Headed by Tatiana KHOROSHAVINA we passed all stages of Omsk CCI establishment, formation a membership and a partnership database, and we determined the stages of the further development of the Omsk CCI. Today the members of Chamber are 400 companies of different scope of activities including branch and cluster Associations and Unions. We are the biggest business community in the region!
- What CCI competencies do you consider the most high-demand currently?
- CCI competences are fixed by federal legislation. I would highlight two main equal objectives. The first is the representation and protection of entrepreneurs’ interests, providing a constructive dialogue between the business media and the authorities.
The second equally significant objective is the establishment of interregional and international communication. And CCI is a tool in this area of activity. In business world there are three pillars: raw material supply, manufacturing equipment and technologies, finished goods sale. To build and support a business is required to ensure the regularity of the first and the third position provided that compliance with technology in a stable production. Modern technologies keep on incredible dynamics. If you are doing business, you should always be in trend; otherwise you’ll surpassed by competitors. Communications with regions and foreign countries also allow to build into commodity and technological chains for raw materials and sales and to maintain them.
- What tools does CCI use for communications establishment?
- CCI is an international system. In each country there are national Chambers. We have 30 Cooperation Agreements signed with foreign Chambers. In each constituent entity of the Russian Federation there are regional CCI representing jointly the CCI system of Russia.
Our international communication is effected by means of tools such as representatives of Russia CCI in 38 countries, Russian business councils with foreign countries, also made under the auspices of the Russian CCI (today there are 74).
- But we live in a hard time of mutual sanctions concerning international communications…
- I understand what you are talking about. We envisage the task of maintaining business contacts. Interest in the Russian market is persisting. We are engaged in a dialogue with partners on the following principles. The first is respect of mutual interests and recognition of equal cooperation. The second is not only Russia-oriented imports of goods and technologies, but also implementation of joint investment projects, the exports of non-primary goods to the foreign markets. I am confident that equal business communications may contribute to renewal of relations with Western partners. In late April business delegation is going to Germany under the auspices of Omsk CCI and Omsk Administration. In Saxony-Anhalt we have partners and friends who are waiting for us and preparing a business program on stock exchange contacts, visiting industrial sites, and traditional participating in the biggest Hanover industrial exhibition. We invite all interested organizations to get involved!
- What prospects for cooperation do you see in Asian countries?
- Now it is our agenda in terms of foreign trade relations. Regarding China Omsk region is boosting the level of business contacts. There is a reason that the Logistics & Foreign Economic Transactions Center had been established, which is a member of Omsk CCI. In 2017 Omsk Trade House was opened in Manchuria 24 Omsk manufacturers sell their goods through. Omsk natives managed to enter the big trade networks and small retail stores in northern China. Now we also plan to invest heavily in trade with the southern provinces, and to open a PRC Trade house in Omsk.
- Isn’t Omsk in short supply of Chinese goods?
-I’ll explain. Firstly, we do not have enough high-quality range of Chinese goods. Secondly, inconsistency between price and quality takes place. Why is our Trading House in demand? There are no intermediaries in the trade chain from Omsk manufacturer to Manchurian consumer. That is, the cost in China is based on the principle 'price of goods Omsk at Omsk manufacturer’s warehouse plus supply to Manchuria'. I find we should create that kind of chain for Chinese goods in Omsk. If the company buys Chinese goods in Omsk through intermediaries, give this information to Omsk CCI. Together with the Logistics Center we will contact directly the manufacturer and fix an optimal pattern of cargo delivery. As a result, you will receive the pattern 'goods price of the PRC manufacturer plus supply to Omsk.'
- Ms. FEDULOVA, let's touch on the topic of expert platforms in Omsk CCI. In what manner they cooperate with the authorities?
- Our Chamber has developed constructive relations virtually with all executive authorities at the federal, regional and municipal levels. We have built a dialogue with the authorities through Public and Advisory Councils. Omsk CCI and our members professionally represent and protect the interests of business community at Council meetings.
In accordance with the Federal Law 'On Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the Russian Federation' the Chambers are entitled to execute Regulatory Control Assessment, i.e. an expert examination of draft regulations on all issues related to entrepreneurs’ interests. Our business experts give opinions on federal and regional legislative drafts before introducing to the State Duma (through the Russian CCI) and the Legislative Assembly of Omsk region. On the committees of Omsk CCI are practitioners and experts who have an insider’s knowledge. It means much if we want to get a legal act that will combine the interests of society and business, will contribute to an upward trend of entrepreneurship. In 2017 Omsk CCI experts finished 47 legislative drafts at various stages.
- To your opinion, what development trends will become driving for Omsk economy in near future?
- To be sure, it’s an establishment of modern and improvement of ongoing production facilities, so called cluster economy. It may be no accident that we as a business community actually pay special attention to cooperation with Omsky Biocluster, Petrochemical Cluster, and to participation in the Wood Industry Cluster establishment. We should learn to be more effective, hence to increase essentially the degree of raw materials processing at regional enterprises. Omsky Biocluster projects such as advanced processing of grain and oil crops, eggs are at different stages. It’s an advanced processing should become the basis for our agricultural industry. These are taxes and jobs; this is an additional service infrastructure, including SMEs. But at the same time I will note the importance of cooperation between the regions. It does not always make sense to invest funds in all elements of the production chain of one region. If nearby, for example, in Tyumen or in Novosibirsk, there are some built and operating enterprises, wherefrom we can get accessories or where we can supply our goods, then we need to create interregional technological chains. And also an important task for CCI is to promote dialogue with business and authorities of neighboring regions in forging of such interregional cooperation ties.
- Ms. FEDULOVA, we wish you good luck and fulfillment of all assigned tasks.
- Let’s wish good luck all of us. We have a lot of job ahead. And I want to thank all associated for their support, for vote of confidence. We have many resources for development, let's make our region better!
Omsky Biocluster Press Secretary Ravshana Balloyeva
