St. Petersburg launches on Tuesday the first stage of a special economic zone (SEZ) of the technology development type, “Neudorf”, Itar-Tass learnt at the press service of the local economic development committee.

The ceremony is attended by Russian Minister for Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina.

It is planned at the ceremony to show the minister a project of establishing a pharmaceutical cluster in the city. The Petersburg authorities were among the first to respond to a call of the Russian leadership to pay attention to the development of the pharmaceutical industry. St. Petersburg was the first region to approve a concept for the development of a pharmaceutical cluster.

In the autumn of 2005, St. Petersburg won a federal tender, selecting bids on establishing a SEZ in Russian regions. The Petersburg zone with an area of 130 hectares is located on two grounds – Neudorf (18.9 hectares in Petrodvorets district) and in the territory north of the Novo-Orlovsky forest-cum-park (110.8 hectares in Primorsky district).

St. Petersburg has already concluded agreements with 33 residents. Residents can be divided into three clusters by types of technology development operations in the zone: “analytical engineering and communications systems” (19 residents), “Development studies in medicine and chemical industry” (five residents) and “Development studies in energy supplies” (nine residents).

The committee press service emphasised, St. Petersburg will ensure the most appealing conditions for investments and operations at the above grounds. The special economic zone is established for 20 years. Its regime permits to make export-import in a simplified manner thanks to introduction of a special customs regime.