Policy Initiatives

For the first time, Russia will be hosting the world’s largest anti-drug forum. On June 5-7, the International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC), now in its thirtieth year, will bring together leaders of anti-drug services from more than 120 countries to tackle the world’s most pressing drug enforcement challenges.

When G20 leaders gather in St Petersburg in September, promoting growth in the world economy will be top of their agenda—but they will also have some expert advice in the shape of new recommendations on how to unlock private sector funding for major infrastructure projects, particularly in emerging markets.
 

Russia’s promotion of clean energy continues through its support of natural gas as an alternative fuel for transportation. In May 2013, Prime Minister Medvedev signed a decree to convert up to 50% of all city buses to run on natural gas by 2020. The ultimate objective is to standardize Russian legislation for using natural gas as a motor fuel, and institute measures to promote its use.
 

As Russia prepares to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, it is already looking to shape the legacy of the Games with the establishment of the new Russian International Olympic University (RIOU). At the cutting-edge educational institution, sports-management students will receive expert instruction as well as hands-on experience at the Sochi Games.

Long-derided as the literal ‘sick-man of Europe’, the Russian government is addressing decades of underinvestment and taking steps to prioritize public health. The particular area of focus for public health policy is the development of new alcohol and smoking laws.
 

Russian citizens have flocked to a new online petition portal that allows them to back popular initiatives calling for change at the local, regional or national level.
 
The new ‘Russian Public Initiative’ began accepting submissions in late March, and since it opened for business on 15 April 2013, members of the public have been able to vote on over 800 propositions, covering everything from a suggestion that state officials should be banned from buying cars worth over 1.5 million rubles to a call for the return of daylight savings time.

 Today in Russia modernization is driven by a mix of the old and the new. The country urgently has to reduce its dependence on natural resources, while heavy industry needs a serious shake-up. The renewal of Russia’s economic structure requires not only a transfer of knowledge and technology, but also localization and increasing collaboration along the entire value chain. When looking for win-win business models to support this transformation in Russia, however, foreign investors continually raise questions about regulatory compliance, legal security and corruption.

ACCESSRU is a joint EU-Russian program aimed at supporting science and technology (S&T) cooperation by promoting access to Russian and EU resources for scientific studies. Nearing the conclusion of the program’s 33-month run, Modern Russia contributor and INNOVA Europe consultant Natalia Mielech reviews the program’s highlights.

Last year, Vladimir Putin, then-prime minister, announced the creation of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), tasked with improving the entrepreneurial environment and improving the dialogue between business and government. Three young entrepreneurs were selected from thousands of applicants to head ASI’s three branches: New Business, Young Professionals and Social Projects. On the second day of SPIEF, Modern Russia met Artem Avetisyan, Director of the New Business branch, to find out more about the agency’s work.

The end of the German-Russian Year of Education, Science and Innovation 2011-12 was marked by a ceremony at the Free University Berlin on May 22. Kicking off a year earlier, this “Partnership of Ideas” aimed to display the diversity and excellence of German-Russian cooperation in the fields of education and research. By highlighting some of the past successes, organizers sought to raise awareness about current and future projects.