Putin to chair meeting on administrative barriers in construction

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MOSCOW, July 15 (Itar-Tass) -- Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will make
a working trip to the southern Volgograd region on Thursday, July 15, to
chair a meeting of the government commission on regional development with
a focus on the reduction of administrative barriers in the construction
sector.
Vice Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, Vice Prime Minister Sergei Sobyanin,
Minister of Regional Development Viktor Basargin, the heads of other
ministries and agencies, and regional governors will attend the meeting.
"The meeting of the commission will focus on a set of measures aimed
at reducing administrative barriers during the implementation of
investment projects in the Russian Federation, which were worked out by
officials from several federal executive bodies, including the Ministry of
Regional Development, the Ministry of Economic Development, and the
Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS)," the government press service said.
"The proposed measure include the improvement of supervisory and
licensing functions, optimisation of public services in the field of
construction, the improvement of the state land cadastre, verification of
compliance by operating organisations with effective construction laws,"
the press service said.
The government hopes that "the implementation of these measures will
produce results in the medium term and alleviate tensions in the field of
investment and construction projects."
A number of initiatives were implemented last year to reduce
administrative barriers ion the field of housing construction: permits for
construction and commissioning of housing began to be issued faster, the
number of works requiring special permits was reduced, 218 organisations
were accredited for conducting non-state examinations, a list of mandatory
construction requirements was approved, a new pricing system was worked
out, and mechanisms were devised for engaging federal lands into
construction.
Relevant ministries and agencies continue working to improve federal
construction legislation. They have approved a plan of measures to improve
supervisory and licensing functions and optimise the provision of public
services in the construction sector.

.Georgia, EU to begin talks on association agreement.

TBILISI, July 15 (Itar-Tass) -- The first round of talks on an
association agreement between Georgia and the European Union will begin in
Batumi on Thursday, July 15.
Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European
Union Catherine Ashton will arrive in the country for the purpose. She
will have talks with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and they will
then open the first plenary session of the talks.
On Thursday, Ashton will meet with Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze
and some opposition party leaders in Tbilisi on Friday, July 16.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry said, "The association agreement between
Georgia and the EU will replace the effective agreement 'On Partnership
and Cooperation'. The association agreement calls for deeper interaction
between Georgia and the EU in priority fields and will give the country an
opportunity for gradual economic integration and political association
with the EU."
Earlier, State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration
Georgy Baramidze said, "After the signing of the agreement, Georgia will
move to a qualitatively new level of relations with the EU" and the
agreement will be followed by "concrete steps such as additional
investments in the national economy, the creation of new jobs, easier visa
procedures with EU countries that may be abolished altogether in the
future."
Deputy Foreign Minister David Dzhalagania said the "agreement will
raise the level of relations between Georgia and the EU in the political,
economic, educational, cultural, social and other fields, as well as in
the field of security."
On March 10, the EU approved directives for talks with three South
Caucasus countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia - on association
agreements. Ashton said that the adoption of these directives was an
indication of the EU's commitment to close relations with the counties of
the South Caucasus that are based on common values and principles, respect
for democracy, rule of law and human rights.

.Sechin to open int'l exhibition INNOPROM 2010 in Yekaterinburg.

YEKATERINBURG, July 15 (Itar-Tass) -- Vice Prime Minister Igor Sechin
is expected to open the international exhibition INNOPROM 2010 in
Yekaterinburg on Thursday, July 15.
More than 500 enterprises and organisations from 25 countries will
present their products at the exhibition. The administration of the
Sverdlovsk region expects more tan 10 billion roubles worth of contracts
to be signed during the forum.
A number of plenary sessions and roundtable are planned during the
exhibition. Top managers of leading Russian and foreign companies will
attend them to speak on the introduction of innovations in industry, fuel
and energy sector, university science, as well as venture investments, and
the construction of technology parks.
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