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RUSSIA - FRANCE
I
n 2017, Franco-Russian relations
have been relaunched on economic
issues and trade, whichwas confir-
med by two meetings of the Franco-
Russian Economic, Financial, Indus-
trial and Trade Council (CEFIC).
Can you tell us about the roles of this
council and the Russian and French
expectations?
Our relations with Russia were
affected from 2014/2015, following the
annexation of Crimea and the war in
the Donbass (East of Ukraine), which
led to European and American econo-
mic sanctions and Russian counter-
sanctions.
Foreign companies, especially French
ones, were caught in a trap in this
mechanism of sanctions and counter-
sanctions and were forced to review
their strategies, especially those that
exported dual-use goods and agri-
food products to the Russian market.
Our exports fell in 2015 (-44%). In
2017, with the return to growth in
Russia (+1,5 %) and the adaptation to
the new rules of the game, trade star-
ted moving upwards – French exports
increased by 43% in 2016 and 13% in
2017.
Medef International, through the
France-Russia Business Council –
which brings together the French
companies that have operations in
Russia or export there – was particu-
larly active in maintaining ties with our
Russian private and public partners,
especially the Russian Union of
Industrialists and Entrepreneurs
(RSPP).
In this context, the resumption of the
Economic, Financial, Industrial and
Trade Council (Cefic) in January 2016,
after nearly three years of interrup-
tion, supported by the ministers of the
economy (Mr Macron at that time, and
Mr Oreshkin for the Russian side) was
an encouraging and significant signal.
This resumption was followed by
Cefic meetings in March 2017 and
December 2017, which was quite
unprecedented.
Medef International has been officially
associated with Cefic since 2004, when
Christine Lagarde, who was then
Minister of the Economy, asked us to
ask the French private sector about
the business environment in Russia
and the means to improve bilateral
relations. Every year, it is an opportu-
nity to track changes in laws & regula-
tions and suggest points for improve-
ment. We address very concrete issues
that directly affect the daily lives of
companies. For example, the issue of
work permits, both Russia and in
France, taxation, taxes on imports, the
octroi of licences, certification, etc.
Thedifficult international situationdoes
not seem to affect the implementation
of joint initiatives in a number of eco-
nomic sectors. What major initiatives
have been taken in recent months?
Like Montesquieu, we are convinced
that trade leads to peace. When diplo-
matic and political relations are affec-
ted, it is necessary to be a constant
vector of dialogue and ties.
It takes years to build up business
relations and trust, but it only takes
one event to put them into question.
French companies are among the lea-
ding foreign investors in Russia, and
this is the result of several decades of
work, cooperation and dialogue with
our Russian friends.
We have supported and accompanied
the visit of the President of France to
Russia on 25 May. With a 170-strong
delegation, including forty-five CEOs,
France was the number one foreign
country represented at the Saint
Petersburg Forum (SPIEF), not only by
companies on the CAC40 index but
also by mid-cap companies and SMEs.
Together with its partner the
Russian Union of Industrialists and
Entrepreneurs (RSPP), Medef
Frédéric Sanchez, the President of Medef International, led the largest delegation
of foreign company heads to the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum in
May 2018, with themain goal of sustaining and strengthening the position of France
in Russia.
Frédéric SANCHEZ,
President of Medef International, Chairman of the Executive Board of Fives
©DR
‘ Trade
leads to peace ’
