BLCC in RUSSIA NEWSLETTER

*December 2018 MOSCOW №8                                        CCBLR.COM          NEWS

 

 

 

Dear partners,

 

Next year we will celebrate our 10th anniversary of the Yaroslavl Astron plant.

Starting 1994 we have been successfully delivering our buildings to Russia from Luxembourg’s plants and since 2009 from our local production in Yaroslavl.

At the moment our localization of raw materials is close to 95%.

We design and build industrial, logistics, sports and retail projects. Our customers are both local and foreign investors who want to localize their facilities in CIS markets.

Cooperation with BLCC is a natural choice for us due to our Luxemburgish origin and the last years have proved that this partnership was a right decision.

BLCC events are always well organized and result-oriented. Our sales team specifically points out efficiency of such events when 12-15 top management representatives of potential customers meet with Russian regional governments.

We appreciate that BLCC equally and on a high level treats every its member. Thanks to collaboration with BLCC we got a lot of good and perspective contacts of foreign investors with ambitious plans.

I am happy to say that we overcame 2014-2015 crisis and are back on track with our sales and production volumes.

I wish all of you happy New Year and Merry Christmas, nice time with your families and good luck in coming 2019. My best regards,

 

Marc Buchheimer

General Director Astron Russia

 

 

    

 

First Factory of Orac Decor in Russia was opened

 

The First Factory of BLCC member’s company Orac Decor in Russia was opened in Kaluga region.

On September 20, the official opening of the first stage of the factory for the production of decorative synthetic moldings and ornaments of ORAC LLC took place in the industrial park Vorsino of the Kaluga region.

The event was attended by Governor of the Kaluga region Anatoly Artamonov, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Russia Jean-Arthur Regibeau, founder of ORAC NV company Guy Taillieu, owner of Orac NV company Yves Taillieu, ex-CEO of Orac LLC Adolf Missotten, CEO of Orac LLC Maxim Lomonosov and CEO of BLCC in Russia Oleg B. Prozorov.

The volume of investments amounted to 500 million rubles. The number of new workplaces at full capacity is about 50. The area of the plot where the production will be located is 3.3 hectares.

The ORAC NV. company was founded in 1970 in Belgian city Ostend. Today, the company produces an extensive range of interior moldings using modern technologies, including such complex volumetric products as columns, pedestals, domes, etc. Two plants are included to the ORAC NV company, one of them is situated in Ostend, Belgium and the other one is located in Slovakia, in Lipany city.

The products of the company are popular in more than 90 countries. Among the most significant objects for the company there are buildings that are the part of the Kremlin in Moscow, several theaters in the Russian capital, the Mariott Hotel in Colon, the Royal Palace in Madrid, the Sheraton Hotel in Berlin, palaces, cathedrals and abbeys in the United Kingdom and France as well as shops of the world-famous trading network Tommy Hilfiger.

Yves Taillieu, the owner of Orac NV company: ‘The plant of Orac Decor company in Kaluga region will be the third factory in the world and the first one in Russia. The Russian market is strategically important and perspective for us. We are expanding the pool of Russian business partners. Our company is open to new ideas that will be implemented in Russia. At the heart of the company activity is the preservation of the best architectural traditions and the development of innovative technologies'.

 

BLCC’s member DEFORCHE CONSTRUCT (Belgium) signed the agreement on the construction of a modern greenhouse complex in Russia, HE Ambassador of Belgium to Russia, Mr Jean-Arthur Regibeau supported the ceremony by his presence.

Deforche Construct NV is a flexible family business specialised in the construction of steel and glass structures for agriculture and horticulture companies, garden centres, research centres and for the industry in general.

 

 

 
BLCC at the “Saint Petersburg
 
Mutual protocol on cooperation
 

International Legal Forum”                After  the  talks  following  the  reciprocal

visit, the Mayor of the Belgian city of Antwerp Bart De Wever and Vice-Governor of the Russian city of St. Petersburg Alexander Govorunov signed a protocol on cooperation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BLCC in Russia acted as a partner and took an active part in the VIII St. Petersburg International Legal Forum 2018. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev during the VIII St. Petersburg International Legal Forum noted that adaptation of Russian jurisprudence to digital technologies is necessary. Also, the forum discussed issues related to artificial intelligence in jurisprudence.

 

 

 

For the cultural part, the protocol on cooperation was co-signed by  Geert Allaert, director of the Antwerp Music Hall, and Lidiya Zernova, Deputy Art Director and Manager of the Leonid  Yacobson Ballet Theatre.

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BLCC Russia - to act and succeed together!

BLCC & Diplomatic World

In August, in the historical premises of the Hotel “Arbat”, opened in 1960, was signed a memorandum of bilateral cooperation between the prestigious Brussels          magazine "Diplomatic World" and the "Belgian-Luxembourg

Chamber of Commerce" in Moscow. Both sides will promote peace, friendship and economic prosperity.

The magazine's director Mrs Barbara Dietrich and the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Oleg Prozorov signed this landmark document. The Arbat hotel with a winter garden in the center of the Russian capital belongs to the Office of the President of the Russian Federation.

 

 

Russian chess grandmaster Anatoly Karpov’s post stamps collection in Brussels Hilton Hotel

In Brussels, during the Moscow City Economic Potential Days,

H.E. Sergey Cheremin, Minister and Head of the Moscow External Economic and International Relations, H.E. Alexander Tokovinin Ambassador of Russia to Belgium, Arkady Arianoff Chairman of BLCC, Barbara Dietrich CEO of Diplomatic World magazine and Oleg Prozorov opened the exhibition collection of post stamps of famous Russian chess grandmaster Anatoly Karpov in the hall of the prestigious Hilton Brussels.

 

 

 

External session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF)

In August, the session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) "Regions of Russia: New Points of Growth" in Pskov.

“Localization as a tool to form a cluster economy” was one of the most interesting sessions, and the speakers were: Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Leningrad Region - Chairman of the Committee for Economic Development and Investment Activity Dmitry Yalov, Deputy Director of the Regional Development Department of the Ministry of Economic Development Elmira Ahmeeva, expert from Kaliningrad region Vasily Vasiunin, general director of the Composite Cluster of St. Petersburg Vadim Zazimko, CEO of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Russia, Oleg Prozorov, Chief Representative of the China Committee for the Promotion of International Trade, Jinli Xu.

For this session, work began in February 2018 at the Sochi Economic Forum. At the St. Petersburg International Forum, held in the northern capital in May, it was decided to hold a SPIEF session in the Pskov region. Roskongress is the organizer of SPIEF, of which BLCC is the regional partner for Belgium and Luxembourg.

 

 

Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and “Delovaya Russia”

In August, a regular working meeting was organized with members of a Russian Public Organization Delovaya Rossiya that unites more than 3,000 entrepreneurs mainly from medium size business.

The meeting was moderated by the vice-president, the head of the executive committee of the organization, Nonna Kahramanyan. The meeting was attended by members of the General Council, business representatives of Delovaya Rossiya: Ashot Danielyan (Belgium), Alexey Zakharov (Republic of Korea), Alexander Kolyvanov (Kazakhstan), Alexander Parkhomenko (Sudan), Alexey Ryabinin (Switzerland). Igor Lisinenko (Malta), Edward Gulyan (Spain), Olga Shayaku (Ireland), Alexander Ilyin (Latvia), Ruslan Ilyasov (Iran), Elena Krivenkova (Italy) joined the video conference. The meeting was also attended by representatives of Business Russia in Azerbaijan, Sweden, Finland, the United Arab Emirates and Monaco.

Oleg Prozorov, head of the Belgian-Luxembourg-Russian Chamber of Commerce in Moscow, in his speech told “Business Russia” about the possibility of consolidating efforts in the European direction. "We are ready to provide our platform in Brussels and Luxembourg to promote medium-sized business from Russia, strengthen the position of the Russian business community in the European Union."

 

 

BLCC and Kalinigrad

To prepare new business season 2019 and trade mission for members companies the Chamber made a meeting  with Representatives of the Kaliningrad region in Moscow, economic and cultural cooperation issues were discussed.

BLCC CEO Oleg Prozorov was received by Denis Aleksandrovich Saliy Head of the Representative Office of the Government of the Kaliningrad Region under the Government of the Russian Federation in Moscow

 

THREE IMPORTANT NEWS THAT WILL IMPACT YOUR BUSINESS IN 2019

    GLOBAUDIT BUSINESS SERVICE LLC

VAT change from 18% to 20%

The most important innovation is the increase in VAT from 18% up to 20% beginning January 2019..

How does this will impact your business?

It is necessary to negotiate in advance with your counterparties written additional agreements to existing Contracts. Approach to the application of VAT rates in the transition period 2018- 2019. when purchasing works and services from a foreign company that is not registered in the Russian Federation, as well as when renting state and municipal property differs from the general approach. It relates to services and works performed in 2018 but paid in 2019.

ADDITIONAL TAX AUTHORITIES CONTROL

Auditors are obliged to submit information about clients to the Federal Tax Service.

As of January 1, 2019, auditors are obliged to submit documents and information about clients upon the request of the tax authorities. Auditors are given 10 working days to provide the required information.

 

CONTROLLED TRANSACTIONS WITH INTERDEPENDENT NON-RESIDENTS

The legislator raised the threshold for determining the amount of controlled transactions with an interdependent non-residents. Beginning January 1, 2019, transactions with a foreign interdependent company will be controlled if their revenues exceed 60 million rubles.

How does this impact the business?

It is necessary to take into account new criteria for determining

controlled transactions for 2019 regardless of the date of signing

 

of the contract. This may affect your corporate income tax.

 

Dmitry Lavrov

Executive Director

 

The new generation cyclotron from the Belgian company

The first in Russia cyclotron (particle accelerator) of a new generation made by the Belgian company IBA for the production of pharmaceutical diagnosis of oncological diseases is installed in St. Petersburg. The new device can produce preparations for the examination of about 20 thousand patients per year.

This is the first in Russia apparatus of a new generation, there are about ten of them in the world.

A building for the center of nuclear diagnostics was built specifically for the placement of new equipment and procedures.

Diagnosis of oncology with the help of this technology makes it possible to detect the disease in the early stages and treat it effectively.

Hans Timbremont Consul of Belgium in St. Petersburg, Gerard Seghers Trade Commissioner at Embassy of Belgium and Kirill Makarenko IBA General Director in Russia, attended the presentation ceremony.

 

The IX St. Petersburg International Legal Forum will take place on May 14 through 18, 2019.

Registration for the Forum is now available.

       

 

We are glad to invite you to take part in the IX St. Petersburg International Legal Forum.

Please notice that you are provided with a 10% discount for participation in the Forum (promo code – CCBLR2019).

To view SPBILF participation terms, obtain more information, and to register, please refer to our official website: www.spblegalforum.ru

The annual St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPBILF), founded in 2011, is organized under the auspices of the President of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. Over the years, the SPBILF has emerged as a foremost international platform for discussing a broad range of urgent questions confronting the contemporary international community of legal professionals.

In 2018, over 4,500 lawyers from 90 countries attended various events of the SPBILF business programme and the II International Insolvency Forum, held as part of the SPBILF. The SPBILF has, over time, staked out its claim as a key platform for international networking and for sealing important diplomatic agreements. The Forum 2018 received 95 official delegations from overseas Ministries of Justice, Supreme and Constitutional Courts. Among the foreign guests of honour at the VIII SPBILF were 14 Chief Justices of Constitutional Courts, 13 Chief Justices of Supreme Courts, and 16 Ministers or Deputy Ministers of Justice.

Also participating in the work of the business platform were representatives of the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, the International Welfare Association, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Over 530 speakers took the floor at the SPBILF events. There were outstanding professionals, iconic scholars, unique experts in different fields of law among them.

The SPBILF 2019 business programme is planned to include events of diverse formats, ranging from discussion sessions to lectures and presentations. The speakers will discuss a broad gamut of topical issues, from court practice to antitrust regulation to the impact of

technology on the practice of law to cultural heritage protection.     4

 

BLCC Russia - to act and succeed together!

 

Moscow:      City     for     business      and     innovation

 

Bekaert launched a new production line in the Lipetsk SEZ

At the end of May, a solemn ceremony was held to launch a new electroplating line in the Lipetsk Bekaert plant, which was attended by the Belgian Ambassador to the Russian Federation Jean-Arthur Regibeau, a delegation of customers and suppliers of the plant, as well as the president of the Bekaert group of companies Matthew Taylor and Head of the Chamber Oleg Prozorov. The agreement on the construction of the Bekart plant was signed in 2008. 10 years ago, the company employed 5 people, by the end of 2018 there will be almost 400 of them. Since its opening, the plant has specialized in the production of steel cord for the automotive industry and steel fiber for the construction industry. Installing a  new galvanizing line will double the production of semi-finished products and increase the production capacity of the finished products shop by 50%. Expansion of production in Lipetsk will allow Bekaert to continue to ensure maximum value for its customers and to support an increase in production from tire manufacturers in Russia and the CIS region.

       

 

 

Belgium - Luxembourg’s business expand cooperation with Penza region

Governor of the Penza Region, Ivan Belozertsev, met with the Chairman of the Board of the BLCC, Arkady Arianoff, and the General Director of BLCC, Oleg Prozorov. During the SPIEF 2018, for the development and improvement of industrial, commercial, economic, financial relations, interaction in the field of modern forms of telecommunications and Internet technologies, the media and other areas of interaction, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between Penza and the Belgian-Luxembourg- Russian Chamber of Commerce in Moscow.

 

This summer King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium supported national football team “The Red Devils” during FIFA World Cup 2018 in St Petersburg and Moscow

 

BLCC & CCBLR delegation to Novgorod the Great

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Save the date for our annual BLCC Gala on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, in Moscow! More details coming soon!

 

The delegation of the BLCC member companies visited a number of potentially interesting enterprises for cooperation in the region and held meetings with the Novgorod business community and the Governor HE Andrei Nikitin where they discussed prospects for cooperation. Cooperation between our regions began last fall with the signing of a joint memorandum at the Third International Business Forum in Moscow. The parties agreed to regularly exchange information on advances in technology and export opportunities. In the framework of this visit, European businessmen met with potential partners from the Novgorod region. The head of the region told the guests that the Novgorod region specializes in the chemical and radioelectronic industry, woodworking and agriculture. In addition, we have been selected as a pilot region for implementing NTI projects in the digital economy. Is it an excellent platform for implementation of joint projects.

 

New Belgian-Russian company "KИС - CULTURAL INNOVATION

STUDIO" in St. Petersburg

 

Valuable know-hows in the field of restoration of wind instruments are used to repair the bassoons in a small and cozy studio of high professional Master in the field Edwin DERDE.

 

À la carte:

Cultural Innovation Studio; Workshop Repair of bassoons; Guitar Studio School; Cultural events and more…

 

Kurskaya Street 28, St. Petersburg Russian Federation.  kistudio@bk.ru

 

BLCC Russia - to act and succeed together!

BLCC in Moscow’s first business breakfast 2018-2019

At the beginning of the business season 2018-2019, BLCC with support of Solvay and Lufthansa Group held a business breakfast with the participation of a special guest, the Ambassador of Belgium to Russia, HE Mr Jean-Arthur Regibeau.

His Excellency has tell us about the economic relations situation in 2018 and made his outlook for 2019, as conclusion the Ambassador answered the questions of the participants. This business event was held at the premises of the Moscow Capital Club, the 1st Russian club member of an international network. The Moscow Capital Club is the only international private membership club in Moscow. Moscow Capital Club is located at the Central House of Literators in Moscow. The House at Povarskaya St. for 130 years of its existence has been a witness of a change of epochs, generations and rulers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BLCC Moscow 2nd Business Breakfast with Ekaterina Trofimova

The breakfast with Ekaterina Trofimova Chief Executive Officer, Founder of Analytical Credit Rating Agency (ACRA), was held in Moscow. The  event was organized in premises of Moscow Capital Club. Ms. Trofimova worked in Gazprombank (Russia), namely as a Member of the Management Board and supervised the Ratings Advisory Centre, the Centre for Economic Forecasting and the Corporate Communications Department. Ms Trofimova has share with us the forecast of economic situation in 2018  and  the  outlook  for  2019,  and  respond  on  questions  of  the  participants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BLCC Russia Business mission to Ryazan region

During the business mission to Ryazan in October, the Government of the Ryazan Region and BLCC Russia signed a cooperation agreement. The document was issued in the main hall of the regional government. The agreement was signed by the vice- governor of the region, Igor Grekov, and the head of the BLCC in Russia, Oleg Prozorov. Also our Moscow' based Chamber signed agreement with Corporation of Economic Development of Ryazan region in the framework of Business Delegation of leading Belgium and Luxembourg companies in Russia, and visited Guardian plant

 
Energy Week Moscow

BLCC was present at the Russian Energy Week forum that has taken place in Moscow for the second year in a row. Representatives of the biggest international and Russian companies participated in this BLCC' partner event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With BRBC’ Chairman Johan Vnderplaetse

Legal seminar in Brussels
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meeting of BLCC delegation with the First Deputy Minister of Investments and Innovations of the Moscow Region Mr Vadim Khromov

BLCC Russia cooperation with the government of the capital region is successfully developing. In October, participants decided to take into account the existing positive results and increase its amount, covering the larger number of areas of business sectors of the Moscow Region, with Belgium and Luxembourg know-how.

After this meeting, BLCC Russia held round table in Moscow region with the Director General of SEZ DUBNA, Director of the Moscow Region Development Corporation Mr Anton Afanasiev. On the territory of the Moscow region there are 14 companies from Belgium and 9 enterprises with participation of capital from Luxembourg. Business have a very useful experience in the segment of small and medium-sized companies.

 

International  seminar  on  the  recent

trends   in   antitrust   regulation   and compliance   in   Russia   was   held   in October  in  Belgium.  Latest  antitrust news  directly   from   experts  of   the Federal    Antimonopoly          Service    of Russia.   The   event   is   organized   in Brussels  by  the  FAS  Training  Center and   international   law   firm   Baker McKenzie with support of BLCC.

 

 

 

 

International seminar on the recent trends in antitrust regulation and compliance in Russia was  held  in October in Belgium by the FAS Training Center and international law firm Baker McKenzie with support of BLCC Russia.

 

BLCC Russia - to act and succeed together!

In the coming years, the digital partnership of our business community will actively develop, said the head of the BLCC Oleg Prozorov at   a   plenary   session   of   the   5th

BLCC in Russia longstanding member company    "Natura4ever"        a Luxembourg based manufacturer of wellness products, has today officially announced that it has launched a new     office     and     state-of-the-art

 

 

 

 

 

 

BLCC in Russia with support of ASTRON BUILDING took part in the Yaroslavl Economic Forum 2018 and in the Export / Import Conference in Kostroma.

During the official presentation of the Russian region of Ugra for representatives of Russian and foreign business in Moscow, in preparation for the

 

distribution network in Moscow.

BLCC organized for PURATOS management             meeting   with SKOLKOVO Technopark.

 

 

 

 

The grand opening of the sixth PURATOS Innovation Center in Russia took place in Kazan.

 

Event  was  attended  by  Minister  of

the Government of Moscow Sergey Cheremin, the Ambassador of India to Russia Datla Bala Venkatesh Varma, the event was held thanks to and with the organizational support of Alexei Pilko. In coming years the digital partnership of our business community will actively develop due to the Eurasian integration, business gets opportunity to actively participate in 4th industrial revolution.

 

 

 

 

 

Energy delegation of Luxembourg and Belgium business in Khanty Mansiysk, BLCC signed historical agreement with Foundation for Development of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, the Foundation performs functions of a state foundation for industrial development in the Ugra district and will be favorite partner of BLCC in the region.

 

Please send your completed application by email to :

Moscow@CCBLR.com

 

Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Russia

Novinskiy boulevard, 18 building 1, office 8 Moscow, 121069 Russian Federation

Phone Russian Federation:  +7  499 390-35-94

Belgium and Luxembourg:   +352 27-86-11-01           

Russian site: http://www.CCBLR.com

Global  site: http://www.BLCCRUS.org

 

Please use the QR code on the right, which will lead you at the external link to download the membership application form from our web server:

 

 

Old ways won’t open new doors...

We welcome you to become a member of BLCC Russia and become an active participant in our community.

The benefits you receive are in direct proportion to your involvement. A strong coalition of businesses working together will provide you with many benefits.

If you would like to become a member of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce in Russia, but you still have questions, please contact us.

We look forward to working with you!

13.12.2018