This level does not correspond to either the capabilities of the two countries or to long-term strategic interests, and on the whole lags behind the level of political interaction, said Igor Yurgens, the RUIE vice president and executive secretary.
He spoke at a Russo-French business circles meeting in Moscow on Tuesday.
"French companies still differ [from other countries'] in an extremely cautious approach while investing in our economy," Yurgens said. The Russian side "can't be satisfied with mainly raw materials exports to France, where the production potential of Russia's main industry branches - aerospace complex, science-intensive mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and electronics, telecommunications - is not used to the full extent," said the RUIE vice president.
He pointed out a number of successful joint projects in different areas: metal-working, automotive industry, radioelectronics, trade and construction materials production.
Yurgens expressed confidence that the meeting and further steps by Russian and French business circles will "lay a solid foundation of the two countries' joint actions for a mid-term perspective.
