The annual quality competition is part of the Government's effort to improve the quality and competitiveness of products.
In the ten years since the first quality competition was held, over 1,000 companies and organisations from 68 regions of Russia have competed in different categories.
Small businesses make up only about a third of the participants but they often win prizes.
The 2009 quality competition shows that Russian companies can enhance their positions in the market despite the global economic downturn. They continue to launch innovative products using novel technology and modern quality management methods while maintaining social support programmes for their employees.
This year, the government prizes for quality were awarded to Vladivostok State Institute of Economics and Services, Kazan Medical College, and the Design Institute of Organic Synthesis Production. Companies Expocentre, Norilsk Nickel, Slavneft-Yaroslavnefteorgsintez, the Tersky Diamond Instruments Company, and SpetsKhimMontage were also honoured for quality achievements.
Igor Shuvalov said at the awards ceremony that the economy was "basically stable and positive." However, the Government does not intend to withdraw its assistance overnight. "The Government has a plan for completing support programmes, which will not be abrupt; it should be done gradually and smoothly," Shuvalov said. "We proceed from the premise that the government plan of encouraging economic development will change."
Shuvalov also said: "We will soon attain sustainable growth, even if not as high as we would like, but it is important that growth be sustainable and not fragmentary as it is now."
Speaking about the competitiveness and quality of Russian products on the international market, Shuvalov said that new technical regulations would become effective in Russia on January 1, 2010. The Government will approve a planned 16 technical standards by the end of the year, and will include CIS and EU regulations that will be enforced in other spheres.
"The Government plans to adopt an act outlining the main industry and product categories for technical standards, specifying exactly which law and which country's regulations apply in a given area," the First Deputy Prime Minister said.