The Russian-German Chamber of Commerce (the Chamber of Commerce) has created a production localization information center (LOK-Zentrum). The information center will work under the Chamber of Commerce’s Localization and Industrial Production Committee, chaired by Falk Tischendorf.

The LOK-Zentrum is a one-stop coordination center for companies that already have production facilities in Russia or are planning to localize production in the country. It will serve as a platform for dialogue and will work closely with companies and the competent Russian authorities, in particular with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Finance, as well as with the Federal Customs Service, the Agency of Technological Development, the Industrial Development Fund and other relevant government agencies.

The project has garnered the support of the First Deputy Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vasily Osmakov. Aleksey Matushansky, Director of the Department of Strategic Development and Corporate Policy of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, emphasized that the department welcomes the idea of creating a one-stop service to handle localization questions and is ready to act as a liaison for the inquiries received by the Ministry of Industry and Trade from LOK-Zentrum. When asked, the General Director of the Agency of Technological Development, Vladimir Pastukhov, called the idea of creating a one-stop info center "very timely" and gave assurances that the Agency is prepared to forge a partnership with the center.

Andrey Sobolev, the Trade Representative of Russia in Germany, described the LOK-Zentrum as a "way for the state authorities to get feedback on the laws and their effectiveness". "This is a win-win situation for the companies and for the authorities. The companies can get answers to their questions and the authorities, in turn, can gain a better understanding of the challenges facing foreign companies aiming to localize their production facilities in Russia", noted Falk Tischendorf.

Companies can send their questions to the center by email at the address LOK-Zentrum@russland-ahk.ru. The center will regularly publish the best practical examples. You can find more information on the center’s working hours in this presentation (in Russian).
For more information please visit the website of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.