- 65 regional offices;
- More than 300,000 members including practicing economists, scientists and experts, officials, business community, public figures;
- Over 30 years of modern history the VEO of Russia has published 11,000,000 copies of information and analysis, scientific, and educational editions to be distributed for free;
- The Free Economic Society of Russia and its regional offices annually hold more than 900 events in different formats aimed at promoting the economic and social progress of the country;
- More than 3,000 people from all Russian regions annually take part in youth projects of the VEO of Russia.
- The Russian National Economic Test gathered around 100 thousand participants from 83 Russian regions.

- Russian National Economic Projects (Program): the Russian National Economic Assembly marking the Economist's Day; the Russian National Higher Public Economic Award titled "Economist of the Year"; the Russian National Economic Test Education Event; the Russian National Economic Journalist Contest; Economic Book of the Year Public Prize.
- Expert and Analytical Activities (Program): national and regional conferences, forums, congresses, seminars; Abalkin Readings Scientific Forum of the VEO of Russia; expert sessions of the Coordination Club of the VEO of Russia, Council of Experts of the VEO of Russia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper.
- Development of Youth Creativity Potential (Program): the Russian National Youth Scientific Work Contest named "Economic Growth of Russia", Festival of Economics, Public Lectures of the VEO of Russia.
- Enlightenment and Publishing Activities (Program):
Scientific Works of the Free Economic Society of Russia included in the list of main academic periodicals and publications; Volnaya ekonomika (Free Economy) magazine; Besedy ob ekonomike (Conversations about Economy) popular science edition; Ekonomika (Economy), a supplement to Rossiyskaya Gazeta; Digital and public library of the VEO of Russia; TV project by the VEO of Russia: Dom E (House E) TV programs on Public Television of Russia (OTR); Target program in social media, etc.
- Independent Assessment of Economic Education Quality (Program).
- Программа «Международная деятельность и развитие сотрудничества»: Международный комитет ВЭО России, совместные проекты с Международным Союзом экономистов.International Activities and Cooperation Development (Program): International Committee of the VEO of Russia, joint projects with the International Union of Economists.
- Regional Development of the VEO of Russia, Strengthening and Developing Structural Units of the VEO of Russia (Program).

The VEO of Russia consolidates efforts to assist in solving urgent economic problems, cooperates with state and public institutions, research centers, universities, and other organizations.

Events by the Free Economic Society of Russia gather people of different views and supporters of different concepts with regard to the country's economic development. The VEO of Russia is a reputable expert platform where any expert can express their own point of view and discuss it with colleagues. The guarantor of the constructive dialogue is the long-term experience of the Society in accumulating and analyzing various opinions, positions and attitudes, programs and proposals.

The VEO of Russia is open to all who share our goals and are ready for intellectual cooperation with progressive forces aimed at advancing the development of the Russian Federation.

The Russian Academy of Sciences was founded on the order of Peter the Great. The respective edict signed by the Emperor was issued by the Senate on January 28 (February 8), 1724. As envisioned by Peter the Great, the Russian Academy of Sciences should replicate neither of the West-European academies. According to Peter's idea, a continuous process of acquiring knowledge and education was to be organized by way of creating the following triad – "Academy – University – Gymnasium (grammar school)." Gymnasium was to play the role of preparatory school where the "basic of sciences" were to be taught to young people, who were getting prepared for entering the University. The key function of both Gymnasium and University lay in training national scientific and engineering manpower, including the personnel for the Academy itself.

Initially, the Academy was founded as a government-owned entity, and salary was paid to its members who, in their turn, were to render research and technological services to the state.

The scientists were not bound to any dominating dogma and enjoyed the freedom of scientific work. The opportunities of publishing scholarly papers were almost unlimited for them. As for the panel discussion and appraisal of research results, the Academic Conference was created as the authority intended for this very purpose.

The most accurate description of the Academy's tasks and objectives, which have not faded in importance to the present day, was formulated in the Charter of the Academy dated 1803, which was approved by Emperor Alexander I: "At different times, all enlightened nations have realized how bringing together many scientists, inspired by common zeal for improvement, can facilitate scientific research and contribute to its success. Founded in the interior of countries and working under the auspices of their sovereigns, both the Academies and academic communities, targeting activities of their members at common purpose, have taken important actions enriching the sciences with discoveries, which, but for this lucky combination of zeal and knowledge, might have been irrevocably lost for humankind...

The key duties of the Academy ensue from the very purpose of its foundation that is common for all academies and academic communities: extending the range of human knowledge, refining on sciences immensely, enriching them with new discoveries, enlightening the minds, and directing this knowledge for the public weal as much as possible by way of adjusting theories and useful effect of tests and observations to practical use. This is the book of its duties in brief.

In addition to duties, common for all other academies, there are other responsibilities that deal with working directly for the benefit of Russia, distributing knowledge about the natural products of empire, and digging up resources for multiplying the effect of those of them that constitute the articles of national industry and trade, as well as improving plants and factories, arts and crafts – these sources of wealth and power of the state."

Over almost three centuries of the Academy's existence, its status and structure have been changing many times. However, the mission of the Academy has remained the same – organizing and conducting fundamental studies aimed at acquisition of new knowledge about the laws of Nature, Humankind and Society that promote social, technological, economic and intellectual development of Russia, as well as assure the country's security and shore up national defenses.

Currently, the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) is a state-owned organization being responsible for development and implementation of fundamental scientific research program in the Russian Federation, having overall academic and methodological charge of scientific institutions and universities, rendering expert support to state authorities, as well as promoting the development of international cooperation in the field of science and technologies, and popularizing science.

Since the moment of foundation of the Imperial Free Economic Society (VEO) - it was founded 250 years ago - its activity was closely related to the one of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. About 50% of the VEO founders were the members of the Academy. Moreover, Senator Adam Olsufiyev, State Secretary of Katherine the Great and member of the Academy of Sciences, was elected the first president of VEO. Mikhail Lomonosov, one of the greatest Russian scientists, was the author of very idea to create VEO. Many masterminds of Russia felt honored to be members of VEO. In contemporary history of Russia, the leading academician economists have initiated the revival of the Free Economic Society.

Thus, throughout both Czarist era and contemporary history of Russia, the Academy of Sciences and VEO have been successfully complementing each other. The seeds of academic ideas planted into the soil of public knowledge and public discussion have always worked for the benefit of domestic economy.

The International Union of Economists (IUE) is an independent international nongovernmental organization founded in 1991 by academic and practicing economists, bankers and entrepreneurs from across the world to facilitate the global economic and social progress. Nowadays it unites the representatives from 48 countries of the world. The IUE members are national and regional unions and associations of economists, outstanding economists – scientists and practitioners, public figures, social activists and representatives of business circles.
The International Union of Economists is in the General Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1999; is associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information, Non-government Organizations (DPI NGO UN).

- Promoting economic reforms;
- Participation in the development and implementation of national and international projects and programs, aimed at accelerating economic growth and stabilizing the economic situation in countries, developing integration processes in various regions of the world;
- Providing a broad international exchange of the information in general in various areas of the economy and science;
- Creating conditions for the exchange of ideas, experience, knowledge in organization and management;
- Expanding cooperation with national and international organizations, unions, associations in the field of social and economic and scientific and technical thought;
- Searching and implementing new forms of international cooperation.

IUE was founded in 1991. It was at that time in Sandansk, Bulgaria, at the initiative of the All- Union Economic Society (the soviet successor of the Imperial Free Economic Society and predecessor of the Russian Economic Society), economists, public figures and businessmen from several countries gathered at the Founding Congress of the International Union of Economists (IUE). From the very beginning, the members of the new Union understood that, whatever the political processes, it is necessary for economists to communicate not on an ideological basis, but on a strictly professional basis to be free from ideology.

At present, 27 years later, we see how correct this decision was, which to a certain degree helped to preserve, of course, in significantly reduced form, the economic ties of the former close allies. At that transition time, the United Nations and other authoritative international structures supported and facilitated the creation of public associations with the participation of countries with changing economy.

As the founders of the Union say, they sought to unite the intellectual forces of professionals from different countries, to engage in expert dialogue on the most important problems of scientists, politicians, businessmen and community leaders interested in reducing the social problems of the modern economic world order.

The International Union of Economists quickly gained gain good reputation; since 1995 — associated with the UN Department of Public Information (Non- Governmental Organization Section); since 1999 — is in the General Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Within the framework of IUE, research, educational and consulting structures have been established and are effectively operating. The Union unites economists, scientists, practitioners, public figures, financial experts and entrepreneurs from 48 countries of the world, has its official representative offices in 21 states.