The Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation has sent to the Russian Government a report on the results of the work of special economic zones for 2023. Such an analysis is carried out by the Ministry of Economic Development annually in accordance with the rules for evaluating the effectiveness of the SEZ, approved by a decree of the Government of the Russian Federation.
— This year, the special economic zones turn 19 years old, their effectiveness according to the results of the assessment indicates that the idea of creating “points of economic growth” in the regions with infrastructure and preferential business conditions has fully justified itself. The relevance of the mechanism is also evidenced by the fact that more than 1.2 thousand residents already work in the SEZ, which, according to this year, have actually invested over 1.8 trillion rubles in the economy of the regions and unique projects, many of which have no analogues in Russia and the world. Thanks to this, there are already about 83 thousand. People are provided with jobs in the real sector, where new products are being created and services are being provided, and the foundations for technological sovereignty and structural adaptation of the Russian economy are being achieved,” said Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
— The dynamics of the SEZ operation is steadily positive, over the years the tool is only gaining momentum and becoming more attractive to business, and therefore more effective for the state, which has been in the black for the second year due to accumulated tax returns,” said Dmitry Vakhrukov, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia.
The Deputy Minister stressed that this year, for the first time, the department assessed the multiplier effects of the SEZ operation, as a result of which it was recorded that the contribution of SEZ residents to GDP by the end of 2023 amounted to over 1.2 trillion rubles – 36% more than a year earlier.
— Residents’ R&D expenses increased by 37% and amounted to more than 22 billion rubles. This suggests that business, despite the external conditions, is not afraid to innovate, is ready to develop new technologies, expand the product line and enter new markets,” the Deputy minister stressed.
According to the results of the assessment, industrial production zones in the Republic of Tatarstan (“Alabuga”), the Moscow Region (“Stupino Kvadrat” and “Kashira”), the Ivanovo region (“Ivanovo”), the Lipetsk Region (“Lipetsk”), the Kaluga Region (“Kaluga”) became the leaders in efficiency for 2023.
Among the SEZs of the technical and innovative type, the leaders in efficiency in 2023 were sites in Moscow (Technopolis Moscow), the Republic of Tatarstan (Innopolis), St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg), the Moscow Region (Dubna, Istok), the Saratov Region (Almaz), Tomsk region (“Tomsk”). All technical and implementation SEZs are assessed as effective by the end of 2023.
Among the SEZs of the tourist and recreational type, sites in the Altai Territory (“Turquoise Katun”), the Chechen Republic (“Veduchi”), the Karachay-Cherkess Republic (“Arkhyz”), the Irkutsk Region (“Gates of Baikal”), the Tver region (“Zavidovo”) are recognized as leaders in efficiency. By the end of 2023, the number of trips to tourist SEZs has doubled and amounted to more than 70 thousand. There are only two port SEZs — in the Ulyanovsk region (Ulyanovsk) and in the Astrakhan region (Olya).
The leaders among Russian SEZs in terms of the number of jobs created by residents and the management company were SEZ Alabuga — 5321 (almost four times more than in 2022), Technopolis Moscow — 4115 (almost twice as many as a year earlier), Dubna of the Moscow region — 1765 (almost twice the value of 2022), Innopolis — 865, St. Petersburg — 751, Tolyatti of the Samara region — 680 (twice as much as a year earlier).
The leaders among the SEZs in terms of investments in 2023 included Ust-Luga (344.2 billion rubles), Technopolis Moscow (49.7 billion rubles), Innopolis (42.4 billion rubles), Almaz (24.3 billion rubles), Kaluga (23.4 billion rubles), Dubna (20.3 billion rubles).
In terms of taxes paid to the budget systems of Russia, the SEZ Technopolis Moscow (12.04 billion rubles), St. Petersburg (10.02 billion rubles), Innopolis (8.95 billion rubles), Dubna (6.9 billion rubles), Istok of the Moscow Region (6.3 billion rubles) and Lipetsk (6.3 billion rubles).
Dmitry Vakhrukov said that, in general, SEZs traditionally demonstrate positive rates. Last year, residents made more than 660 billion rubles of investments. This is 3.4 times more than in 2022, and 7.5 times more than in 2020. By the end of 2023, more than 18 thousand jobs have been created. This is 1.5 times more than in 2022.
The efficiency of the SEZ operation was assessed using 25 absolute and relative quantitative indicators, as well as six calculated efficiency indicators.
The activities of residents, the profitability of investing federal and regional budgets in the creation of infrastructure, the activities of government bodies and other parameters were taken into account.
— The report on the results of the functioning of special economic zones, which is prepared on an annual basis by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, allows us to fully assess the effectiveness of sites with preferential treatment. The indicators from the report form the basis for calculating the National Rating of investment attractiveness of the SEZ of Russia, prepared by AKIT RF jointly with the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, — commented Mikhail Labudin, General Director of AKIT RF.