The expert group of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives appreciated the efforts of the Omsk government to create a favorable investment climate

On December 20, a meeting of the expert group on monitoring the implementation of the Standard of the executive authorities of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation for ensuring a favorable investment climate in the Omsk region was held.

Experts evaluated the performance of several requirements of the standard. Rasim Galyamov, First Deputy Minister of Economy of the Omsk Region, spoke about the activities of the Council for Investment and Competition Development under the Governor of the Omsk Region for 11 months of this year.  

"During this period, four Council meetings were held, during which issues of improving the Omsk Region's performance in the National Ranking, promoting competition, banking sector activities in order to improve the investment climate, connecting investment facilities to engineering infrastructure networks, as well as the results of cluster development of the Omsk region in 2015 were considered," Rasim Galyamov said.  

In addition, the experts recognized the activities of the Omsk Region Development and Investment Agency in supporting investment projects based on the "one-stop shop" principle as satisfactory. The Agency's project support procedure is focused on organizing the successful implementation of an investment project by its initiator, including ensuring control over the implementation of such procedures as obtaining land, providing infrastructure, finding sources of financing, calculating tax benefits and preferences, and preparing and approving design and construction permits as part of the investment project.

Currently, the Agency is supporting 22 investment projects with an investment volume of 14.8 billion rubles. For 11 months of this year, the companies that are accompanied have made capital investments in the amount of 395.4 million rubles, including 214.9 million rubles in agriculture and food production," said Andrey Buleyko, Deputy General Director of the Omsk Region Development and Investment Agency.

The Agency has also developed 5 financial models of investment projects, 3 business plans, 1 feasibility study and 1 investment memorandum of the project as part of its interaction with investors. 19 non-commercial events were held to identify effective measures to implement the investment strategy of the Omsk region, find solutions to the problems of potential investors, and share practical experience in attracting investments.

Special attention of experts was drawn to the plan for the creation of investment facilities and infrastructure facilities in the Omsk region for 2016.

It should be noted that the plan indicating the names, location, period of implementation, cost, sources of financing for the construction (reconstruction) of facilities is posted on the investment portal of the Omsk region.

As of December 1, 2016, the Regional Investment Land Fund included 68 investment sites, which are posted on the interactive Investment map of the Omsk region, which is also available on the investment portal.

The meeting also discussed the integration of Governor Viktor Nazarov's annual message into the regional government's efforts to improve the investment climate. In his message for 2017, the Head of the region outlined the most important task of the government to create favorable conditions for business. In particular, it is planned to continue work on resolving issues of tariff regulation, obtaining technical specifications, removing administrative barriers, as well as solving other business problems.

Work is also underway with the heads of municipalities, whose activities to promote competition and create a favorable investment climate in their territories will be evaluated according to the methodology of the Ministry of Economy.

"The regional Government will also continue the practice of developing and submitting draft laws to the Legislative Assembly aimed at expanding state support for investment activities," said Viktor Nazarov.

Two such projects are currently in the works. One of them regulates the procedure for the inclusion of companies in the federal register of participants in regional investment projects, and the second sets lower income tax rates for these participants. Also, according to the latest changes in tax legislation, it is planned to give regional tax preferences to organizations that have concluded special investment contracts. This is a new tool that is currently being implemented at the federal level.

The experts agreed on one position – all the requirements of the standard of government activities to ensure a favorable investment climate are being met.