The economic cooperation between the European Union and Russia is expanding dynamically, which is proved by the continuous growth of the trade turnover and European investments in Russia. It is in Russia, where plenty of Western companies open their branch offices. It shows that more and more European companies, so to say, ‘go East’, that is they sell or invest in Russia. Thus, if European entrepreneurs want to enter the Russian market, they have to seize the opportunity created by the reforms in the Russian economy. They consist in further and further liberalization of the market as well as bigger and bigger decrease of taxes.
Western goods enjoy bigger and bigger popularity in Russia what means that it is the market which is worth being on and we can help you in it. Russia is the market of enormous opportunities for foreign companies, which could successfully sell their products here. However, the entrepreneurs who set out to conquer the Russian market encounter various obstacles, which in practice make their access to the market difficult. There are two key barriers: ignorance of very complicated regulations and long-lasting bureaucratic procedures connected with obtaining various permissions as well as settling other formalities. Foreign entrepreneurs in Russia often have insurmountable difficulties finding the right legal offices which could help them solve their problems and at the same time guarantee success at a sensible price.
Moreover, legal issues are not everything. There are also such people, who do not want to establish a company or open a branch office. They prefer to save on the costs of providing for the post, but in spite of that want to become known on the Russian market and export their products there. Certainly, they also need competent legal advice (e.g. for certification of their goods, customs affairs) but this group of customers has problems finding a buyer (mostly a wholesaler) who would purchase the goods exported by them. The process of searching for such a partner is very time- and labour-consuming and sometimes long-lasting. It is especially difficult for foreigners because apart from the language barrier they also lack appropriate contacts or even basic knowledge about the market situation in the relevant branch in this country.
When planning activity in Russia one should consult someone knowledgeable. It can be a professional counsellor or a specialized consulting company. In such important matters as legal issues and starting business activity on the market are, it is essential to take advice in the companies specializing in it. Fortunately, the Centre for Business Cooperation ‘Poland – Russia’ has been established. We have offices in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kaliningrad and in Gliwice (Poland). The goal of the CBC ‘Poland – Russia’ is to provide legal and informative assistance for the companies and people interested in business cooperation with Russia. In our Centre you will get any help connected with functioning on the Russian market:
• establishing a company and opening a branch office;
• certification and permissions;
• customs issues;
• fiscal issues;
• drawing-up and expert appraisement of agreements with the contractors;
• up-to-date marketing analyses of the economic situation in individual branches of the Russian market;
• searching for business partners in Russia.
Irrespectively of the fact whether you decide to establish a company in Russia or to open a branch office or to operate on this market in a different way (e.g. cooperate with a local importer), one condition has to be met. The task of searching for a partner in Russia should be assigned to someone who is directly on the spot and is knowledgeable about the current situation on the market whether it would be the employees of our Centre or you decide to open an agency in Russia, because it should be effected through personal contact with a future contractor and requires permanent presence of the people conducting negotiations. It is long-lasting and hard work and it cannot be done from the distance.
The activity of our Centre is addressed directly to European businessmen who consider taking steps in the East. Here in Poland we offer help in solving problems which till now could only be settled by turning to a specialized company on the territory of Russia. Now by contacting the CBC ‘Poland – Russia’ you will on the spot obtain professional advice and help in running business in the East.
Many foreign entrepreneurs have already become convinced that it is possible to make profits by investing and doing business in Russia. We invite you to contact us.