Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia (CCI) was founded in 1992. It belongs to the system of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.

 

Karelian CCI is a non-governmental non-profit organization with a wide range of members. Its foundation was inspired by both profit-making and non-profit organizations which united in the Chamber in order to achieve the goals and aims declared in the Russian law “About Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the Russian Federation” and the Charter of Karelian CCI.

 

The work of Karelian CCI is based upon Constitution of the Russian Federation, Russian law "About Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the Russian Federation", other laws of Russia and Republic of Karelia, decrees of the President of Russia and Governor of the Republic of Karelia, regulations of the Government of the Russian Federation and Government of the Republic of Karelia, Charter of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and Charter of Karelian CCI.
CCI of Karelia was established in order to promote development of various business structures; formation of favorable industrial, financial, trade and scientific policy; adjustment of relations between entrepreneurs and their social partners; creation of favorable conditions for business activity; development of trade, economic, scientific and technical links between businessmen of Karelia, other regions of Russia and foreign countries; besides Karelian CCI coordinates and represents interests of all CCI members, entrepreneurs and enterprises wherever they are located. In order to fulfill these purposes Karelian CCI organizes cooperation between business structures and public authorities.

 

Members of the Chamber can be the following: Russian enterprises regardless their form of ownership, organizational and legal form; businessmen registered in full accordance with the legal procedure set by the Russian Federation; associations of enterprises and entrepreneurs. Membership of the Chamber is voluntary.

 

At present nearly all types of regional enterprises are represented in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Karelia, among Chamber’s members are representatives of small and medium business as well as large enterprises: “Kondopoga” Co., “Segezhskiy CBK” Co. (pulp and paper mill), “Petrozavodskmash” Co., “Onezhskiy tractorniy zavod” Co., “Karelskiy okatish” Co., “NoticeStandartAvtomatika” Ltd., “Kivach” Ltd., etc. 89 enterprises are members of the Chamber.

 

In 1999 Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Karelia and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia signed Cooperation agreement. The main aim of this Agreement is to combine efforts of the state authority and the Chamber in order to promote development of Karelian economy and infrastructure of business community support in Karelia.

 

The CCI of Karelia pays great attention to exhibition activities. The Chamber together with the Ministry of Economy of Karelia has drawn out the Conception of Exhibition Activity Development in Karelia. Since 2000 the Chamber together with its member, exhibition agency “Euroforum”, has been organizing and holding exhibitions and fairs. Various foreign enterprises and entrepreneurs take part in these events.
The Chamber together with the Government of the Republic of Karelia via the Ministry of Economic Development of Karelia has drawn out a plan of measures which may increase Karelian enterprises’ competitiveness.

 

According to the order of the Government of Karelia dd. 25.08.2003, №322r-P, about realization of the main activity lines of the Government of Karelia in the field of social and economic development of Karelia in 2003-2006; taking into consideration the aim of further increase of Karelian products’ competitiveness, the Ministry of Economic Development of Karelia has decided to carry out a wide range to measures together with heads of enterprises. These measures are targeted at improvement of quality of goods and services by means of government control. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia takes an active part in implementation of this plan.

 

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Karelia permanently searches and introduces new methods of management which have been already tested by Russian and foreign enterprises. These methods contribute to the development of industry, increase of products’ competitiveness in internal and external markets, improvement of products’ quality and investment attractiveness of enterprises. In March 2004 Karelian Subcontracting Center of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia was established. The Center belongs to the National partnership of subcontracting development (Moscow).

 

The Center was founded by means of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The main aim of the Center is to contribute to the industry development, increase of products’ competitiveness in internal and external markets, improvement of products’ quality and investment attractiveness of Karelian enterprises. The Center has already provided Karelian enterprises with information about more than 580 orders. More detail information about the Subcontracting center is available at the Internet-portal of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Karelia “Business of the Republic of Karelia” http://tpprk.ru in section “Subcontracting center”. President of the Karelian Chamber, A.Pankratov, has joined the subcontracting and cluster technologies subcommittee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia.

 

An important activity of the Chamber is organization and holding of economic missions. Karelia is often visited by guests from various regions of Russia and foreign countries. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia has signed cooperation agreements with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Crimea, Chamber of Cherkask, Minsk department of Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chambers of the Republic of Dagestan, Pavlodarsk regional Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Czech agency “CzechTrade”, delegation of German economy in the Russian Federation, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Oulu city and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Northern Karelia (Finland).

 

In 2005-2007 the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia together with the Chambers of Commerce of Finland (Oulu regions and Northern Karelia) realized the new international project "Chambers of Commerce is the pillar of enterprises development”. The aim of the project was to promote further development of border cooperation between Karelian and Finnish enterprises. This project was a continuation of the joint Chambers project “Business, trade and investments in the Barents region” (2001-2004) which was aimed at finding common activity directions of Russian and Finnish enterprises and to pass the information to civil servant and politicians about existing problems and the actions taken to eliminate them.

 

Territories included in the project: Barents European-Arctic region, Northern Pohjanmaa, Kajnuu, Northern Karelia, Republic of Karelia. Participants of the project: enterprises and organizations, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, official and political community.

 

The long-term aim of the project fulfilled by the Chambers of Oulu, Northern Karelia and Republic of Karelia was Karelian and Finnish enterprises co-operation development, the elimination of export and import obstacles, subcontracts and joint production activity.

 

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Karelia promotes products made by Karelian manufacturers. Internet-site of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic “Business of the Republic of Karelia” (http://tpprk.ru) contains information about members of the Chamber, news of economy, business and culture of the Republic and Russia. The portal consists of three sites: “Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia”, “Who is who in Karelia” and “Karelian business portal”. The portal was worked out by one of the members of the Chamber, organization department of the Chamber – “Mediaweb” studio (http://www.mediaweb.ru, art-director Petr Arzyaev).

 

Internet-portal of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Karelia is the only specialized business Internet-resource in the Republic which provides business people with useful, relevant information and helps entrepreneurs to solve the most vital problems. The portal won the Open Russian Internet contest “Golden site - 2003” in section “Business site”, North-Western region.

 

At the beginning of 2008 the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Karelia opened a new Internet site – “Karelia & Finland” (http://karelia-finland.fi). The main objective of the site is to promote and strengthen border cooperation, economic interaction and good-neighborliness between Karelia and Finland. This project is a result of joint efforts of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of North Karelia (Finland). Sections of the site: “About the Chambers”, “Border cooperation”, “Announcements”, “Subcontracting”, “Small and medium business support”, “Links”.

 

One of the work lines of the Chamber is providing business community of the Republic by means of the portal and regional mass media with information about events (exhibitions, fairs, seminars, extension courses, conferences, meetings of business people, etc.) which take place both in Russia and abroad and can contribute to the development of business.

 

One of the instruments used by the Chamber for promotion of Karelian products and services is publishing of specialized guides and bulletins. Several numbers of the informational and analytic bulletin “Business Karelia” which represents members of the Chamber, reference book “Who is who in the Republic of Karelia”, reference book “Who is who in business of the Republic of Karelia” and “The world of Woman. Republic of Karelia” have been published already.

In 2003 the “Karelian House” magazine was issued, publication of the magazine was timed to the 300 anniversary of Petrozavodsk. The magazine was in English as it was intended for potential foreign investors. Internet version of the “Karelian House” is available at the site http://house.karelia.biz. On the occasion of “Karjalan Messut - 2004” exhibition CD-catalogue “Business of the Republic of Karelia. Karelian House” was developed; there is also a page containing the catalogue http://kh.karelia.biz.

 

In 2005 the Chamber of Commerce and Industry turned to CD for information storage. At present Karelia CCI uses CDs for all its materials, documents, publications and special projects. Such methods allow using modern technologies and publishing more materials. The Chamber often gets requests for preparing specialized CDs. One of the latest projects is CD “100 best goods of Russia. Republic of Karelia” which was ordered by the Ministry of Economic Development of Karelia on the occasion of the rewarding ceremony of the Russian program “100 best goods”. There is also a special Internet side for the CD “Program “100 top goods of Russia. Republic of Karelia” (http://100best.karelia.biz). At this site there is information about Karelian enterprises and specialists who have won the Program in our Republic.

 

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia has signed cooperation agreements with Petrozavodsk, Kostomuksha and Sortavala customs, Interregional Center of Industrial Subcontracting and Partnership, administration of Petrozavodsk, Petrozavodsk State University, North-Western Center of business support “Synergy”, Arbitrage of the Republic of Karelia.

 

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia has strong stable business ties and actively cooperates with Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Finland. Among our permanent partners are: the Central Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Finland – chief executive Kari Jalas, CCI of Koupio – chief executive Matti Niiranen, CCI of Oulu – chief executive Jaakko Okkonen, CCI of the Northern Karelia – chief executive Esa Kommulainen, CCI of Central Finland – chief executive Uljas Valkeinen, Euro-Arctic Chamber of Commerce and Industry – President Timo Rautajokki. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia also actively cooperates with “CzechTrade” Agency (St-Petersburg), director Shtepan Ileck.

 

More detail information about our partners, proposals of enterprises, events and useful documents relating to foreign-economic activity is available at the Internet-portal of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia http://tpprk.ru in section “Foreign-economic activity”.

 

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Karelia promotes development of small business in the Republic. It takes an active part in drawing out programs aimed at support and development of small and medium business in Karelia. The Chamber’s vice-president A.V. Shamshin is a member of Small business council which is attached to the Government of Karelia.

 

In 2004-2006 the European Union project “e-Karelia” was organized in the Republic of Karelia. The main goal of the project was to give small and medium enterprises an opportunity to access modern information and communication technologies and use them widely. The major partner of the project in Russia was the Ministry of Economic Development of Karelia. Karelian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was a beneficiary of the project.

 

In compliance with the law of the Russian Federation “About Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the Russian Federation”, the Chamber of Russia maintains a register of Russian enterprises and entrepreneurs, financial and economic state of which witness to their reliability as partners for business activity both in Russia and abroad. Authorized organization in Karelia is the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia.

 

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia has a branched structure which fully corresponds to its Charter and legislature of Russia. Service infrastructure of the CCI includes “Petro-Soex” Ltd. (subsidiary of the autonomous non-profit association “Souzexpertiza” of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation) and “Business-Otzenka” Ltd.

 

The following public organizations have been established under the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Karelia: Timber industry committee, Business education committee, Quality and Environment committee and the deliberative body, Business economic safety collegium.

 

In March 2004 on the basis of the Chamber an office of the Council of Public Awards and office of the Russian Heraldic Chamber were opened (the authorized person is the vice-president of Karelian Chamber, A.V. Shamshin).

 

Karelian CCI is one of the founders of “Economy safety council” (Moscow), National Fund of assistance to public non-governmental organization (Moscow) and non-profit partnership “Superior commercial arbitrage of intellectual activity disputes”.

 

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia is open for cooperation and welcomes any proposals. We are eager to support progressive projects aimed at developing business and establishing business contacts.

 

 

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia: 
3 Titova str., 185035 Petrozavodsk, Russia.
Ph/Fax: +7 (8142) 78-30-40, 76-54-78
E-mail: chamber@karelia.ru.

Internet-portal of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia “Business of the Republic of Karelia”:
http://tpprk.ru
http://karelia.biz