The French visitors will take part in the proceedings of a business forum in Yekaterinburg on September 25, 2006. A similar event will take place in Moscow as well. The local forum will be attended by the French Minister for Foreign Trade Christine Lagarde, who is going to meet the local entrepreneurs interested in doing business with their French counterparts. The Minister is planning to have a look at the construction site of Auchan and a five-star premium class hotel.

The French party includes representatives of over 30 companies dealing in metallurgy, construction activity, woodworking, manufacturing cosmetics, making lingerie and producing fittings. Some agricultural, banking, and wine-making experts will attend the forum as well.

According to the Ministry for International and Foreign Economic Relations of Sverdlovsk Region, the goods turnover between France and Sverdlovsk Region has gone up by 11.5 times over the last decade. It amounted to $200m worth of goods in 2005.