Both the initial steps in the Russian market as well as the development of existing activities should be well prepared, since there are numerous and complicated hurdles for imports (e.g. certification specific to Russia). Russia continues to climb the ranking in the World Bank's "Doing Business" report. The government's clear goal is to be among the top twenty. The Russian market is also interesting because the Eurasian Economic Union provides simplified access to additional markets in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.
The preference in Russia is for Russian to be spoken in business matters. A Swiss SME seeking to export to Russia should therefore be able to meet these language requirements or have a reliable translator. It is also beneficial to have a reliable partner when dealing with customs or other official requirements. A professional market assessment and a well-grounded search for a partner should precede any export activities.
