The Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the State Duma Continued Work on a Package of Initiatives in the Creative Economy

The event continued the dialogue: following the first meeting, the list of initiatives was submitted to the State Duma; now the participants discussed specific wording for submission to the meeting of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy scheduled for June 25, 2026.

In his opening remarks, Vice President of the CCI RF Ilya Zubkov noted: “Today, the creative economy is the foundation of the country’s new socio-economic model, a driver for job creation, territorial development, and improved quality of life. The attention of the State Duma to issues of the creative sector is extremely important, and we see this in our joint work. The system of chambers of commerce and industry already acts as a key operator connecting creative business, the state, and development institutions.”

State Duma Deputy Alexander Maksimov emphasized that creative industries play a key role in the country’s economic development, serving as the “fuel” that launches and accelerates processes across various sectors—from industry to education: “It is encouraging that the CCI RF and the State Duma are moving in the same direction with a shared understanding: the creative sector is a driver of economic development and the achievement of national goals. Supporting creative entrepreneurship and creating a modern legislative framework directly influence the formation of Russia’s technological sovereignty.”

Chair of the CCI RF Council for Creative Industries and Director of the Creative Economy Center at SKOLKOVO Moscow School of Management, Lidia Roy, presented the key initiatives of the Council and the experts planned to be invited to the State Duma meeting: “Our task is to act as a link between the state, business, and the professional community. The Council has prepared systemic proposals: from tax incentives and export support to the development of industrial design and the revitalization of small towns. These initiatives are not a declaration, but a concrete roadmap that is already changing the industry landscape.”

The discussion was attended by: Director of the Regional Development Department Alexander Antonov, Head of Direction at the Regional Development Department Natalya Gurina, Advisor to the General Director of the Industrial Design Center “Lab 20/50” Evgeniya Ezhikova, Co-founder of LLC “Fabrika Matti” Sergey Bombusov, leadership of the Donors Forum Association of Grant-Making Organizations Alexandra Boldyreva and Maria Rusakova, Project Manager at the Creative Economy Center of SKOLKOVO Moscow School of Management Valentina Ilyina, and Council Secretary Vladislava Markova.

Four systemic blocks requiring legislative and administrative solutions were at the center of attention:

1) Systemic support measures for creative industries: workforce training in the context of digital transformation and AI implementation; tax incentives; development of the philanthropy institution.

2) Support for the export of creative industry products: development of specialized export support instruments for creative products, liberalization of the export of cultural assets, and registration of intellectual property abroad.

3) Industrial design as a tool for import substitution: allocation of a separate OKVED code for industrial design, integration into import substitution mechanisms, and support for educational projects.

4) Revitalization of small and medium-sized cities: creation of a legal and organizational framework for the comprehensive restoration of historic centers, including their functional development, economic activation, and preservation of cultural heritage.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to prepare a coordinated package of initiatives for submission to the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy.