Unique in Russia

«Russia - Europe: Cooperation without Frontiers»

Matchmaking Forum of the Moscow Entrepreneurs Association

7 June 2010, Moscow

Press-Release

The Forum-2010is making part of the MEA Long-Term Integrated Business Partnerships Programme for Russian industrial companies, which in addition to an annual brokerage event in Moscow on a broader number of industrial sectors includes, inter alia organizing and holding Russia-Europe matchmaking events in selected Russian regions focused on their local economic and entrepreneurship development priorities.

The purposeof the forum was to facilitate establishing business cooperation among Russian and European companies, especially SMEs, to attract foreign direct investment and modern technologies into Russia (www.ru-eu-cooperation-without-frontiers.com).

Partnersof the MEA – «Foundation for Contributing to Development of Small Forms of Enterprises in the Science and Technical Spheres», «Russian Agency for Small and Medium Business Support» and «Russian Technology Transfer Network» as well as about 60 European business support organizations in 27 countries.

The Forum was opened by Mr. Andrey Podenok, President, Moscow Entrepreneurs Association; Mr. Mr. Mikhail Kopeikin, Management Board Member of State Corporation “Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)” – “Vnesheconombank” Deputy Chairman; Mrs. NadezhdaKarisalova,Vice-President, “VTB24” Bank; Mr. VictorErmakov, GeneralDirector, Russian Agency for support of Small & Medium Business; Mr. Victor Sedov, President, The U.S. – Russia Centre for Entrepreneurship; Mr. Leonid Sovtsov, Deputy General Director, Fund to Contributing for Development of Small Enterprises in the Science and Technology Spheare; Mr. Yuri Alferov, «Russian technology Transfer Network», Obninsk, Kaluga region; Mr. BojanJankovic, DeputyDirector, SerbianInvestment& Export Promotion Agency; Ms. Johanna PALMÉR, Director, External Relations, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Eastern Sweden; Mr. Francesco Cappello, Innovation Technology & Internationalisation Services Responsible Consorzio Catania Ricerche - University of Catania, Italy; Mr. AndreiAkopov,Chairman, Forum Organizing Committee.

135 RussianSMEsand 111 companies from19 countries(Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Swede, Switzerland, Turkey andUK, Швейцарии) registered to participate in the forum. Total number of scheduled meetings was - 469. An important number of “out-of-schedule” meetings were also held.

In parallel to bilateral negotiations among companies a seminar for Russian regional officials and business support organizations was held. Speakers from Austria, Gernamy, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, Sweden and the UK shared their expertise and experience in regional development, attraction of foreign direct investment, export promotion and technology trasfer with representatives from Republic of Tatarstan, Moscow, Kursk, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Bryansk, Belgorod, Kaluga and Lipetsk regions.