AmCham Releases Special AmCham News Report: Russia & WTO

AmCham releases its latest edition of AmCham News, featuring a special report on Russia & WTO. The edition is available for download here.

Maxim Medvedkov Addresses AmCham Members On WTO

Andrew Somers, President & CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia, presented an AmCham award on Tuesday to Maxim Medvedkov, Russia's Chief WTO Negotiator and Head of the Department for Trade Negotiations at the Russian Ministry of Economic Development. The "Friend of Business and Champion of Free Trade" award acknowledges Maxim Medvedkov's significant contribution to Russia's recent invitation to acceed to the World Trade Organization. Mr. Medvedkov accepted the award at the beginning of an AmCham policy event during which he briefed 200 AmCham executives on issues related to Russia's accession and answered dozens of questions from guests eager to know how Russia's WTO membership will impact on their businesses.

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AmCham Congratulates Michael McFaul on Being Approved as New Ambassador to Russia

On Saturday, December 17, the U.S. Senate approved President Barack Obama’s top advisor on Russia policy, Michael McFaul, as the U.S. Ambassador to Russia.
 
“I would like to warmly congratulate Michael McFaul on being approved as Ambassador,” said Andrew Somers, President and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia. “We have worked closely with Mr. McFaul in the past, and I know that we will continue our strong cooperation when he is the Ambassador.”

Mr. Somers has met regularly with Mr. McFaul during his monthly business delegations to Washington D.C. During these visits, Mr. Somers has led delegations of heads of American companies in Russia to meet with Congressmen and leading policymakers to discuss the importance of the Russian market for American businesses. The delegations’ aim is to provide policymakers with information necessary in order to make informed decisions regarding abolishing the Jackson-Vanik Amendment and establishing Permanent Normal Trade Relations with Russia.

AmCham in Geneva at WTO Signing

AmCham’s President and CEO, Andrew Somers, was in Geneva on December 16 at the invitation of Elvira Nabiullina, the Russian Economic Development Minister, for the signing of the protocol for Russia’s accession into the WTO. While there, he had the opportunity to speak with and congratulate RF First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov and Severstal Chairman Alexey Mordashov. Mr. Somers, who had just flown in from Washington, informed the Deputy Prime Minister of his meetings with members of Congress days earlier in which he advocated Permanent Normal Trade Relations with Russia and the abolition of Jackson-Vanik, as well as informing them of the importance of U.S. investments in Russia for U.S. jobs and U.S. exports. Mr. Somers also asked Mr. Mordashov to urge Russia’s business leaders to support, and be active in, AmCham’s efforts in Washington to have the U.S. Congress grant Russia PNTR.
click here

Senior RF Government Official Briefs AmCham Members on SME Support & Development

The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia held a briefing on November 29 with Natalia Larionova, Head of the Department for Small and Medium Business, RF Ministry of Economic Development. The event was moderated by AmCham President & CEO Andrew Somers.

Ms. Larionova made a presentation on SME support and development, touching on Russian Government policy and instruments to support SMEs, short- to medium-term measures to boost SME development, the U.S.- Russia Presidential Bilateral Commission’s SME agenda, and cooperation between the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia and the RF Ministry of Economic Development to create a more favorable environment for entrepreneurship.

Over 40 AmCham executives attended the event at the Lotte Hotel Moscow.

AmCham Holds Annual Holiday Party

AmCham held its Annual Holiday Party on Saturday, December 3 at the Ritz-Carlton Moscow.

A record turnout of over 275 AmCham executives enjoyed a gourmet full-course Ritz-Carlton dinner and a magical night of entertainment including a children’s choir, light shows, acrobatic performances, festive music by the X-mas Tree Band, a spectacular sand art performance, and dancing late into the evening with music by Eroplan.

AmCham thanks the sponsors of the 2011 AmCham Holiday Party.

Sergey Shatalov Delivers Keynote Address at Annual Tax Conference

The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia held its annual tax conference on October 19 at the Baltschug Kempinski hotel in Moscow. Following opening remarks by AmCham President and CEO Andrew Somers, RF Deputy Minister of Finance Sergey Shatalov briefed AmCham members on the most recent and planned changes to Russian tax policy designed to promote business development in the short- and medium-term.

Following Mr. Shatalov's keynote speech, AmCham Taxation Committee co-chairs Vladimir Abramov of Ernst & Young and Maxim Chaplygin of Deloitte chaired two sessions of presentations on tax-related issues key to companies operating in the Russian Federation. Corporate tax experts spoke on the first part of the RF Tax Code to be re-read by the Supreme Arbitration Court, the exchange of information between fiscal authorities, recent trends and developments in the taxation of high-tech and innovative industries, discriminative application of thin capitalization rules, VAT developments, tax reform in the U.S., and the draft laws on consolidated group of taxpayers and social insurance contributions.

Over 130 AmCham member tax professionals attended the event. AmCham thanks major sponsor Ernst & Young, general sponsor Goltsblat BLP, and information sponsor The Moscow Times.

Russia Business Consulting Interviews Andrew Somers

On Friday, October 21, Russia Business Consulting broadcast its television interview with AmCham President and CEO, Andrew Somers, during which he discussed the positive changes in the business climate following the U.S.-Russia ‘reset,’ as well as the tremendous success of American businesses operating in Russia.  To view the interview, please click here.

AmCham Holds Regional Briefing with Samara Oblast Governor

The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia held a regional briefing on October 10 with a delegation of senior officials from the Administration of Samara Oblast led by Samara Oblast Governor Vladimir Artyakov. Amcham President & CEO Andrew Somers chaired the briefing.

Governor Artyakov spoke on investment opportunities in his region and answered questions from AmCham members on issues related to business operations and economic development.

The Samara Oblast Administration delegation included Oleg Mayorov, Deputy Minister for Economic Development, who made a presentation on the economic and investment potential of the region.

Governor Artyakov was also accompanied by Maxim Smirnov, President of Alcoa Russia, and Simon Kukes, General Director of ZAO Samara-Nafta, Hess Corporation, who each gave personal insight into the business environment in Samara Oblast.

Over 60 representatives of AmCham member companies attended the event at the Marriott Grand Hotel in Moscow.

[photograph from left: Andrew Somers, AmCham President & CEO; Vladimir Artyakov, Governor of Samara Oblast]

RF President Medvedev Awards Order of Friendship to Andrew Somers

On Monday, June 20, 2011, at his Gorki residence, Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev presented Andrew B. Somers, President and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia, with the Order of Friendship, the highest Russian state order that can be bestowed on a foreign citizen.
 
 Upon receiving the Order, Mr. Somers said to President Medvedev: “It is with the utmost respect and appreciation that I accept this great honor of the Russian Federation. This generous acknowledgement of my efforts with the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia in supporting you, President Medvedev, and President Obama, in your historic mission to create a lasting stable political relationship, founded in large part on a much deeper trade and investment engagement, is most warmly received. Your forceful determination, President Medvedev, to innovate and modernize the economy, to minimize corruption, and to maximize rule of law is fundamental to a thriving investment climate.”
 
 The Order of Friendship is awarded to individuals for their significant contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between nations and nationalities, for notable achievements in developing the economic and scientific potential of Russia, for exceptional work in bringing together and mutually enriching national cultures, and for strengthening peace and friendship between countries. The Order of Friendship was instituted by the RF President on March 2, 1994.

U.S. Vice President Addresses AmCham

The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia held its 11th Annual Investment Conference on March 10 at Lomonosov Moscow State University. During the opening session, AmCham President & CEO Andrew Somers discussed the successes and challenges of the Russian market; Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Economic Policy Andrey Sharonov outlined strategies for Moscow development in 2011 and beyond; and President of the Russian-American Business Council David Iakobachvili spoke on Russian-American Strategic Economic Partnerships.

Over a dozen corporate leaders then participated in two panel sessions focusing on Russia as an international financial center and strategies to raise Russia’s competitive capacity. The conference concluded with a keynote address by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden entitled Building On The Reset. Click here for more information, including media coverage of the event and the presentations made during the panel discussions.

To read media coverage of the Vice President’s speech to AmCham, please click on one of the following: The New York Times; The Moscow Times; The Wall Street Journal; The Washington Post; Voice of America; and RIA Novosti.

Andrew Somers on BBC Promoting Regional Investment

Please click to view a BBC Russia Business Profile featuring Andrew Somers, President & CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia.

Moscow Business Summit

Click here to download AmCham's publication on the Moscow Business Summit.

U.S. President Barack Obama and RF President Dmitri Medvedev addressed the Moscow Business Summit at the historic Manezh exhibition hall on July 7, 2009. The Business Summit featured an unprecedented number of US and Russian global CEO participants in 3 panels aimed at making recommendations for governmental action to spur trade and investment.

One-Window for Russian visas & work permits | Premium Processing for U.S. visas

An improved one-window service for work permits & related documents is in place for AmCham member companies. This AmCham service is free of charge. Representatives of AmCham member companies should bring their documents to the AmCham office at Dolgorukovskaya 7, 14th floor (Ул. Долгоруковская 7, 14ый этаж). An authorized, dedicated AmCham member of staff collects submitted documents, transfers them to the Federal Migration Service offices, and transfers processed applications back to the AmCham office for collection by members.

In cooperation with the U.S. Embassy Consular Section AmCham has implemented a system to expedite the U.S. visa application process for AmCham members. Premium Processing allows AmCham member company employees to obtain a visa within five business days or less.

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