The city council hosted a meeting of the logistics committee devoted to final preparations for the 3d Small Business Congress; the meeting was chaired by First Vice Mayor Alexander Yakob.

The forum will take place in the Big Hall of the town house on April 17, 2007, with over 200 local entrepreneurs and 100 guests expected to attend the event.

Sverdlovsk Region is reported to be Russia’s No. 3 in terms of small business development; Yekaterinburg, hosting 72% of all regional small and medium-scale enterprises, leads the way. These businesses produce about 18% of everything made in Yekaterinburg and pay more than 20% of taxes to all kinds of budgets as well as provide from 15% to 30% of the city’s workplaces.

The final meeting of the logistics committee was meant for agreeing upon the agenda of the congress and for organizing the exhibition of services available to small businesses in the city and product presentations.