On June 2008, head of the State Duma Industry Committee, Yury Maslyukov,  convened a meeting  of the Industrial Policy Expert Council.  The Expert Council was established to handle legal regulation problems in industry,  draft proposals and recommendations for improvement of legislation and development of effective industrial policy.  The Expert Council includes State Duma deputies, heads of largest manufacturing companies, associations, and prominent Russian industry experts.

 

In his address, Maslyukov emphasized that regulatory documents should be drafted to help plant directors understand how to improve the situation in their companies. The meeting participants discussed the draft law “On Industrial Development”  that was submitted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to the State Duma late in April 2008.  In 2007, the Russian economy received $120,9 billion in foreign investments, which is  2,2 times more than in 2006. As of the end of 2007, the foreign capital in Russia’s economy was  $220,6 billion, which is 54,3 percent more than  in the same period of 2006.  The Russian official reserve assets exceed $300 billion. According to international experts, Russia’s share in the world economy  reached 3,4%.

 

The meeting participants pointed to the leading role of extractive industries and metallurgy in export supplies.  Today, the Russian manufacturing sector is responsible for only 3 percent of GDP, while raw material industries – for 30 percent. In developed countries, the share of machinery industry in GDP reaches 70 percent.  In 2007, machinebuilding industry accounted for 20 percent of industrial output in Russia, 40 percent in China, 46 percent in the U.S.   While China increases machinery and equipment export to Russia, (8% in 2000;  31% in 2007), Russia decreases it. In 2001, China’s export of machinery and equipment to Russia was 28 percent,  as compared to 1,2  percent in 2006.  Oil and oil products export grew from 10 to 54 percent over the same period.   The meeting participants emphasized the need for measures to increase equipment competitiveness in the domestic market.  Thus, in 2007, Russian companies manufactured agricultural equipment worth 52 billion rubles, with agricultural equipment import reaching 60 billion rubles.

 

Yury Maslyukov was born on 30 September 1937 in the city of Leninabad in a worker’s family. In 1962 he graduated from Leningrad Mechanical University with a degree in mechanical engineering, then from Leningrad Artillery and Engineering Academy.

In 1962-1970, Mr.Maslyukov worked as engineer, senior engineer of Izhevsk Research Institute of USSR Defense Ministry.

1970 – 74, senior engineer and deputy director of affiliate branch #1 of Izhevsk Machinery Plant of USSR Defense Ministry.

1974 – 79, head of Main Technical Bureau of USSR Defense Ministry.

1979 – 82, deputy defense minister of USSR.

1982 – 85, first deputy chairman of USSR State Planning Committee.

1985 – 88, deputy chairman of USSR Council of Ministers.

1988 – 91, first deputy chairman of USSR Council of Ministers, chairman of USSR State Planning Committee.

1991-92, deputy chairman of USSR Cabinet of Ministers, chairman of State Defense Industry Commission of USSR Cabinet of Ministers.

1992-95,  established the Defense Research Institute.

1995, head of the State Duma Committee for Economic Policy.   

1998-1999 – first deputy chairman of RF Government.

2000, chairman of the State Duma Committee for Industry, Construction and High Technologies; chairman of the Association of Oil and Gas Equipment Manufacturers.  

2007, chairman of the State Duma Committee for Industry.    

2008, co-chairman of the State Duma Committee for RF Defense and State Security Expenses.  

Mr.Maslyukov was decorated with Order of Lenin, Order of October Revolution, Order of Red Banner of Labor  and other governmental awards. Mr.Maslyukov’s interests lay in the sphere of engineering and history books collecting.