ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the structure of the Russian trade policy system, the influence of the trade players on the Russian trade policy, and Russia's perspective on trade issues and negotiations. Besides the privatization program, other priorities of the reforms have been both the integration of Russia to International Trade and the promotion of foreign investment. As to the services sector, international insurance companies have been able to incorporate subsidiaries in Russia as of 2012 while foreign companies are able to hold shares in Russian banks provided that their participation remains not higher than 50 percent. Due to the low standards of transparency and to the past of Russia as a communist state, it is not surprising that the role of the Private Sector in the formulation of the country's trade policy is quite limited while the influence of the Public Interest is minimal or almost non-existent.
