The following institutions became Partners of the Eighth Session of the Russian Economic and Financial Forum in Switzerland:

The commercial banks started to be established in Russia in 1988.
By the end of 1988 in Russian Federation there were 25 commercial and co-operative banks; by the end of 1989 – 137 banks. The necessity of collective defense of commercial banks’ interests became the reason of appearing of different bank associations. In August 1989 Moscow Bank Union was created. In 1990 Russian Bank Union appeared in Perm. On the initiative of Moscow Bank Union, Russian Bunk Union and Leningrad Bank Association in March 27-28 the Congress of commercial and co-operative banks of Russian Federation was held in Moscow. The Congress took the decision to re-organize Russian Bank Union into the Association of Russian Banks and adopted its Charter. Representatives of 65 commercial and co-operative banks of Russian Federation became members of the Association of Russian Banks.
The Association of Russian Banks is non-government non-commercial organization that unites commercial banks and other credit organizations, as well as organizations the activity of which is connected with functioning of money-and-credit system of Russian Federation.

Main goals of the Association are:

- participation in banking business of Russian Federation, in the activities carried out by the government and administration bodies, by the Central Bank of Russian Federation aimed at stabilization of economy, monetary circulation and realization of monetary-credit policy;
- presentation and defense of credit organizations’ interests in legislative and executive bodies of authorities, in the Central Bank of Russia, judicial, law-enforcement, taxation and other state bodies;
- assistance to credit organizations in consolidation of their resources for solving large-scale programs of national economy;
- rending to credit organizations of managerial, information-analytical, methodical, jural and other kinds of help in their work on servicing juridical persons and population in conditions of market economics on the base of analyses of foreign and domestic experience;
- support of mutual confidence, prestige of credit organizations, contacts between their leaders and specialists, stability and respectability, business partnership in relationships of credit organizations with each other and with the clients;
- contribution to the development of cooperation of Russian credit organizations with foreign banks, their Unions and Associations, International finance organizations.

In order to achieve the above goals the Association:

- seeks for adoption of juridical and sub-legislative normative acts facilitating development of monetary-credit system, raising its stability and independence, protecting credit organizations from illegal interference of state bodies into their activities; works out independently or directly takes part in preparation of such acts;
- coordinates its activities with the Central Bank of Russia;
- works out and sends to the competent governing and administrative bodies as well as to the Central Bank of Russia suggestions on realization of monetary-credit policy, regulation of credit organizations’ activities, stabilization of monetary circulation, financial and credit market, on improvement of tax policy in the sphere of bank activities;
- renders to the Association members juridical, organizing, consultative and other kinds of help in concrete situations according to their request and on its own initiative;
- analyzes the state and tendencies of development of the economics, banking business, financial and credit markets, informs and gives recommendations on these issues to the Association members;
- informs credit organizations about the decisions of governing and administrative bodies, taxation bodies and the Bank of Russia, about decisions made by the court on disputes dealing with the activities of credit organizations;
- organizes conferences, symposiums, seminars, exhibitions on actual issues of monetary-credit policy and bank activities, takes part in their realization;
- cooperates with domestic and foreign Unions, Associations and other institutions of credit organizations, fantasists and manufactures;
- assists to the raise of professional level of chiefs and specialists of credit organizations, to creation of schools, Centers and courses of retraining for bank stuff, organizes probation period for specialists of credit organizations in Russia and abroad;
- organizes and carries out information-publishing activities, informs the population about situation in bank system; publishes “Bulletin of Russian Banks Association”, illustrates in it and in mass media the experience of credit organizations’ activities, their role in economical life of Russia.

Arbitration tribunal of ARB considers ownership claims aroused between banks and other participants of civil turnover.
In the Association also functions the Security Service “Amulet” that carries out various activities on secure functioning of bank institutions.

First foreign trade operation between Slavs and foreign merchants date back to the 8th century. To work out general rules of trade and promote crafts and industries, merchants, manufacturers and seafarers used to set up trade associations.

Under Peter the Great the development of industries was the responsibility of commerce collegia, and in 1813 the first merchants' organization, "Moscow Merchant Society", was established in Moscow. Until 1917 the functions of chambers of commerce and industry were performed by stock exchange committees. Besides the management of exchange meetings, their responsibilities included protection of interests of the stock exchange community before the authorities, in the government and public organizations.

The All-Union Chamber of Commerce and Industry was established on May 28, 1932. Its Articles of Association stipulated assistance to companies in the development of domestic trade. The All-Union CCI established business ties with foreign commercial and business organizations, received foreign business delegations, and sent Soviet trade and industrial delegations abroad.

On March 10, 1972, the All-Union Chamber of Commerce and Industry was transformed into the USSR Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Chamber's functions included assistance in exports development, consulting services, establishment and development of contacts with foreign business communities and general public, the study, summarizing and distribution of reference and information literature on economics, and expert examination.

On October 19, 1991, Russian business circles established the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation (RF CCI). The Chamber's goals and objectives included protection of interests in the area of business activities, the organization of interaction between entrepreneurs and authorities, assistance in the development of business educational and training systems, assistance in the settlement of disputes arising between companies and entrepreneurs.

On December 14, 2001, the First Extraordinary Congress of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation was held in Moscow. The centerpiece of the Congress was the reelection of the RF CCI President. Evgeny Primakov accepted the position. In 2002 the activity of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was restructured: the work of the chamber's management was reorganized, a new Board was elected that reflected the current structure of national business and public organizations, and the CCI Articles of Association were revised. The basic objectives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the rules governing relations between the RF CCI and regional chambers, were determined on the basis of the new concept.