Central union of Consumer Societies of the Russian Federation (centrosojuz of russia)

Centrosojuz of the Russian Federation - non profit organization, voluntary consolidation of consumer societies of Russia, member of International Cooperative Alliance, unites:

- more than 3 thousand of consumer societies;

- more than4 million shareholders all over country.

Organizations of consumer co-operatives of Centrosojuz of Russia provides jobs for about 300 thousand people.

By the initiative of Centrosojuz of Russia:

- Association of Co-operative Organization of Russia was founded in 1998;

- League of National Unions of Co-operatives of CIS was set up in 2002.

Aims:

- strengthening the unity of consumer cooperation’s system;

- building up and spreading cooperative ideology, philosophy and culture;

- defending the democratic basis , cooperative values and principles;

- coordination of the activities of consumer societies and its unions;

- protection of property and other rights for consumer societies and its members, unions of consumer societies;

- representing consumer societies’ interests to governmental and local authorities, international organizations;

- providing information and other services to consumer societies and its unions.

Economy

Central union of consumer societies of the Russia unites:

- more than 8.4 thousands sections for consumer goods’ production;

- 6.7 thousands purchasing centers for agricultural products;

- 30 thousands domestic services centers;

- 7 thousands public catering establishments;

- 50 thousands shops.

The enterprises of consumer cooperation grow grain, fruits and vegetables. They produce meat and dairy products, soft drinks and beer, bakery and confectionary products, canned and semi prepared foodstuff, the items for repair and construction, wool products and fair. Also they procure medical herbs, both fresh and dried mushrooms an berries from ecologically clean areas, agricultural products grown in subsistence farming

Education

More than 100 000 students get education in educational institution of consumer cooperation. There are 48 branches of study in higher and secondary educational institutions and 15 academic branches of study in postgraduate studentship as well.

The system of cooperative education consists of:

- Russian university of cooperation (RUC), 22 RUC’s branches (located on the territory From Kaliningrad to Petropavlovsk - Kamchatskiy);

- educational institutions of secondary professional education: 53 technical secondary schools and colleges as well, and its 91 branches;

- educational institutions of elementary professional education: 2 training colleges, 1 lyceum;

- scientific research institute of consumer cooperation founded in 1965.

Healthcare

Centrosojuz of Russia has its own medical institutions - Hospital and Clinic. There is wide range of medical services and laboratory diagnostics such as ultrasonic scanning, endoscopy, radiography in both of them.

Health resort treatment

There are three sanatoriums in the system of Centrosojuz of Russia located in the following areas:

- Belocuricha town;

- Kislovodsk town;

- Udelnaya village (Moscow’s region).

Centrosojuz’s information centre

- LLC «Centrosojuz’s Publishing house»

- Newspaper «Russian cooperation»

- Magazine «Business reporter of «Russian cooperation» (Insertion to the «Russian cooperation»)

Text 2

THE HISTORY OF CENTRAL UNION OF CONSUMER SOCIETIES OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Foundation of the cooperative movement in Russia is associated with the Decembrists. The first co-operative society was established by exiled Decembrists at the Petrovsky factory in Transbaikalia (Petrovsk-Zaboykalsky) in 1831. «Bolshaya artel» had its own written statute, elected bodies and permission from the authorities to carry on business. The statute contained such co-operative principles as voluntary membership, democratic management and control, which even now are basic principles in the global co-operative movement.

By the end of 19 century there were already 557 Consumer Societies in Russia. In this period the idea of creating an All-Russian center - Centrosoyuz (MUCS - Moscow Union of Consumer Societies) was fulfilled.

In August 1896 a meeting of the Trade and Industry Congress took place at Nizhniy Novgorod Fair, attended by 60 representatives from 32 co-operatives of Russia. They discussed projects of the Regulation of alliances between co-operatives and The Normal statute of consumer societies and sent these documents for approval by Council of Ministers. On 13^th May 1897 the Normal statute was approved, but Regulation of alliances tacitly rejected (the tsarist did not like idea of creating All-Russian unions, co-operatives changed their tactics and decided to hold congresses at the regional level.

However, in October 1896 and April 1897 Moscow Co-operators, together with representatives of Tver, Tula and Orekhovo-Zuevo consumer societies held three meetings, where it was agreed to create a country-wide association of consumer co-operatives under the auspices of the Moscow Provincial Union. Co-operators from 10 provinces of Russia were the founders of the All-Russian co-operative center under the auspices of the Moscow Union of Consumer Societies (MUCS).

The necessity of creating such a center was so clear, that on 16^th June, 1898 the Russian government approved the Regulation of the Moscow Union of Consumer Societies. The first meeting of authorized representatives of the Union of Consumer Societies was held on 5^th and 6^th November 1898. They elected the Board (Bureau) of the Moscow Union of Consumer Societies (Centrosoyuz). By 1917, 285 unions and the 3167 consumer societies were members of Centrosoyuz (MUCS).

June 15, 1903 Centrosoyuz (MUCS) joined the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA).

After the February Revolution, on 19^th September 1917 Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Interim Government notified Centrosoyuz (MUCS) about renaming it from MUSC to the All-Russian Central Union of Consumer Societies, securing the title Centrosoyuz. This formal act put an end to nearly 19-year period of the Moscow Union of Consumer Societies activity as nationwide co-operative center.

In 1918-1921 the external factor for corporation - the economic policy of the Soviet State - became crucial for economic and social activities of Centrosoyuz and its organizational structure. In 1918 all the unions of consumer cooperation were forcibly incorporated in Centrosoyuz and in March 1919 the system of consumer co-operation was established with the following structure: local consumer society - District Union - Provincial Union - Central Union (Centrosoyuz).  That is how the Soviet Centrosoyuz and Soviet consumer co-operation emerged - semi-governmental formations keeping only some features of co-operation.

In 1921-1928 consumer co-operation was relatively independent, but not for long. Admission fees and stock, electoral management bodies returned.  However, a few years later the party and government entirely mastered and commanded all segments of its business and internal life.

Prior to 1928/1929 financial year Centrosoyuz served as the All-Union and All-Russia institutional and economic center of the consumer co-operation system. Following the decision taken at the 41th meeting of representatives on Oct. 1, 1928 Centrosoyuz RSFSR was separated from Centrosoyuz USSR as an independent organization.

But less than two years later at the second congress of consumer co-operation in Moscow in July 1930 it was decided to unite management and control of Centrosoyuz USSR and Centrosoyuz RSFSR. Centralization of administrative structures was a general trend in the Soviet economy, and consumer co-operation being subordinated to the Soviet government, there was no way to avoid it. Only in 1954, at the 4^th Congress the Russian Union of Consumer Societies (Rospotrebsoyuz) separated from the Soviet Centrosoyuz once again. Soviet republics had their own Republican consumer unions, members of the Soviet Union Centrosoyuz.

In April 1991, Rospotrebsoyuz was renamed to Centrosoyuz RSFSR, and in January 1992 - to Centrosoyuz of the Russian Federation (Russia).

In December 1991, the State ceased to exist, as well as Centrosoyuz USSR.

In June 1992 the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation approved a resolution "On implementation of the Russian Federation Law «On consumer co-operation in the Russian Federation», according to which Centrosoyuz of the Russian Federation is the legal successor of the former Centrosoyuz USSR property, located on the territory of the Russian Federation and in foreign countries.

The first steps of modern Russian co-operation turned out to be very difficult. A transition to market relations followed by price liberalization and hyperinflation devalued current assets of consumer co-operation. Purchasing power decreased, which entailed the closure of the co-operative enterprises and a sharp decline in activity, most co-operative organizations became unprofitable, some went bankrupt. In 1991-1995, substantial damage to the property of consumer co-operation was caused by a wide-spread, but poorly thought out campaign of commercialization and corporatization.

Text 3