The session was organized within the IV Russian Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Forum (SME Forum) in St. Petersburg. The SME Forum took place on the eve of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). 

The session was moderated by Dmitry Sazonov, Deputy Chairman, Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Economic Policy, Industry, Innovative Development, and Entrepreneurship. 

The general discussion within the session encompassed the following topics: compliance by the Russian Federation’s digital economy programme with the demands of business, the level of use, readiness of the government and Russian companies to transfer to digital technologies, economic and social aspects of digitalization. 

The objective of the SME Forum is to create a permanent community of small and medium-sized enterprises to discuss the current SME climate and the measures which need to be taken in order to strengthen their role in the Russian economy. The Forum is to contribute to an environment for open dialogue between government and enterprise, with a view to reducing administrative barriers and optimizing infrastructure, financial and institutional support measures. 

This year, the Forum attracted over 700 representatives of federal and regional legislative and executive bodies, directors of small and medium-sized enterprises, directors of state and public organisations providing support for SMEs, and representatives from the banking sector and legal and consultancy firms.