Client Bulletin (August 2015)

ART DE LEX to become an intellectual partner to the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok

About the Eastern Economic Forum

In accordance with the 19 May 2015 decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the annual Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) will take place in Vladivostok on 3-5 September 2015 to promote the economic development of the Russian Far East and to expand Asia-Pacific international cooperation.

The EEF is a platform to promote projects, business structures, and opportunities to establish a favorable investment climate in the Far East.  According to the Minister of  for Development of the Russian Far East, Alexander Galushka, the forum will expound on the possibilities the state has created for investors.

In addition to the plenary meetings, the program includes several dozen sessions divided into three main groups:

1. The Strength of the Russian Far East – Sessions in this section are devoted to the development of the energy sector (oil, gas, and energy in general), tourism, transport infrastructure serving cities in the Far Eastern Federal District, agriculture, timber, minerals (extraction and processing), and modern production methods and technology.
2. The New Economic Policy in the Far East – This section will deal with the public and private financial assistance available for investment projects, the special aspects of doing business in the Free Port of Vladivostok, support for exports, and access to international markets.
3. The future of the Asia-Pacific region – These discussions will focus on the new economic opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region, the deeper integration of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the Silk Road economic zone, the territories of priority development, the capital markets of Asian countries in the Far East, and the diamond business.

In addition to other events, the forum will schedule direct dialogues between representatives of Russia and those of other countries: Japan, South Korea, China, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The EEF has received applications from approximately 4,000 potential participants, including about 1,500 delegates from more than 20 countries. The largest delegations are from China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia.  Government representatives of the Russian Federation as well as heads of some of the world’s biggest companies will attend the EREF.

The ART DE LEX law firm will play an active role in the forum. The managing partner of ART DE LEX, Dmitry Magonya, will moderate “Investments and Promotion of Trade” as part of the Russia-Korea country dialogue and business forum. Yaroslav Kulik, a partner at ART DE LEX, will take part in the session on “Protecting the Rights and Interests of Foreign Investors and Partners in the Far East.” The Federal Chamber of Lawyers of the Russian Federation is a partner in that session.

The program is on the EEF’s official website.

The Eighth Russian-Korean Business Dialogue

The Eighth Russian-Korean Business Dialogue will take place on 5 September 2015, as a part of the EEF.  Its aim is to develop strategic partnerships between Russia and the Republic of Korea as well as to promote bilateral social, scientific, educational, and business ties.

The Korea International Trade Association (KITA), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, and the ART DE LEX law firm are the event’s organizers and participants.

The Korean side of the business dialogue that began eight years ago includes the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy of the Republic of Korea (MOTIE), the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), and the Federation of Korean Industrialists (FKI). On the Russian side are the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

The president of RF CCI, Sergey Katirin, the chairman of KITA, Kim In-Ho, the Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East, Alexander Galushka, and the Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Energy of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Sang Jik, will participate in the discussions.

The Russian-Korean Business Dialogue will include three sessions that will discuss the following themes:

1. Investments and Promotion of Trade – The managing partner of the ART DE LEX law firm, Dmitry Magonya, will moderate this session, which will focus on the economic preconditions necessary to promote Korean investment in Russia, the most relevant business issues that Korean companies face when doing business in Russia, and investments in cooperative projects in Russia in the fields of mechanic engineering, automobile production, and energy.
2. The Territories of Priority Development and the Free Port of Vladivostok–Practical Considerations – At this session, Korean representatives will discuss the international standards for industrial management and will give examples of Korean practices. The main focus will be on practical questions for the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East regarding the participation of Korean companies as residents in priority development areas and the Free Port of Vladivostok.
3. Increased Cooperation in the Field of Aquaculture – This session will be devoted to a dialogue on shipbuilding, maritime transport, the fisheries complex of the Russian Far East, and aquaculture technologies.

The program of the Russian-Korean Business Dialog is available at the official website of the EEF.

Doing Business in the Russian Federation: A Legal Guide for Korean Businesses and Investors

The Russian-Korean business dialogue will include the launching of the second edition of Doing Business in the Russian Federation: A Legal Guide for Korean Businesses and Investors, which the partners and lawyers of ART DE LEX prepared with the assistance of Korea International Trade Association (KITA).

The guide informs Korean entrepreneurs about the Russian Federation’s legal and regulatory systems in the key areas of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The book is an affordable and practical tool, which examines the business applications of Russian law to the goals of Korean businesses and investors throughout the Russian Federation.

Russian-Korean Night

Saturday, 5 September 2015, will be Russian-Korean Night, a cultural event that is part of the Russian-Korean Business Dialogue.

Russian-Korean Night is an opportunity to strengthen the cultural friendship between Russia and South Korea. It underscores the importance of the Russian-Korean business and investment relations within the framework of the economic development of the Russian Far East.

The evening will include traditional cultural performances and cuisine.  The invited VIP guests include: ministers and deputy ministers of the Russian Federation; ambassadors and other diplomatic officials; senior officers of trade associations in the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation; and CEOs, chairmen, and other senior executives of leading Korean and Russian companies.

The Russian law firms ALRUD, ART DE LEX, and YUST are organizing Russian-Korean Night, with assistance and support from the Korea International Trade, the Federal Chamber of Lawyers of the Russian Federation, and the Korean Bar Association.