President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Kozak, recently, we have focused on supporting exports, which we consider instrumental for improving the economy, increasing its competitiveness and introducing some innovation. How do you assess these efforts?
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak: According to your Executive Order of May 7, the Government commenced to carry out the largest national project entitled International Cooperation and Exports. Under the Executive Order, we developed a project-based approach to this measure and the Government is exercising this approach thoroughly. Right now it will allow us, firstly, to budget all the funding required for the export support and support of competitive Russia-manufactured products, which includes those that are competing on the global market.
It will also help to identify all potential participants in the very early stages of the project. These participants include companies, workers, regional government bodies and local governments that must be also indirectly involved in this project. Right at the very beginning, we must identify those who want to participate, allocate the necessary budget funds for state support and outline our mutual obligations for this lengthy period. The mutual obligations include the obligations to be taken up by the companies, workers and businesses as to organising the production of competitive goods, as well as the obligations of the state to provide financial support throughout the entire term. In our opinion, this could also significantly increase the efficiency of this measure.
In addition to this, it is the first time that a project of this kind provides for the involvement of regional government agencies and local governments. Up until this moment, manufacturing subsidies and support were provided at the federal level. But now all levels of government will be involved in addressing this essential objective in a consolidated effort.
Agreements with key and systemically important companies will be signed at the federal level with mandatory involvement of regional government bodies. All other companies will get subsidies from their respective regions with the same obligations to promote manufacturing of Russian goods that can compete on the global market.
What is the expected effect? This would help us increase by more than 60 percent the manufacturing of products with high added value that would be competitive both domestically and internationally. Of course, at the same time we are working on import replacement and enhancing Russia’s industrial security, since our country will produce products that will be competing against the world’s best designs.
Moreover, this will lead to the creation of quite a few high-technology and well-paid jobs in keeping with your earlier instructions that we are also working on. This will also help attract more investments in setting up high-technology manufacturing facilities in Russia.
All in all, this project has been launched, and I believe that we will achieve these results. This is expected to facilitate structural economic reforms in Russia, step up non-oil and gas production and deliveries to the domestic market and abroad.
Vladimir Putin: Good.
<…>