In times when China is an increasingly strategic market, access to critical business information is still the main issue for European small and medium enterprises (SMEs) wishing to trade and invest in China.
The over 700 enquiries received by the “EU SME Centre” in Beijing – which assists European companies with China-related questions – indicate that SMEs find difficulties in the most fundamental aspects of accessing the Chinese market; from understanding whether there is a market for a product, finding a reliable partner and carrying out due diligence, conforming to the necessary technical requirements for export, to setting up a business in China.
“Small companies, contrarily to bigger ones, often do not have the necessary knowledge and resources to tackle a complex market like China. This is why we are here,” said Chris Cheung, Acting Director and Business Development expert at the EU SME Centre. “To make SMEs’ life easier, we are about to launch a new diagnostic kit for European SMEs, to allow them to assess their readiness to develop business in the Chinese market.”
More details about the diagnostic kit, as well as the Centre’s achievements over the past two years, will be unveiled at the conference “Are you ready for China?” taking place in Brussels on 15 October, in the framework of EU SME Week 2012. Programme and registration available here.
About the EU SME Centre
The EU SME Centre is a support service provider, funded by the European Union, facilitating market access for European SMEs in China. The Centre provides practical information, advice and business tools free of charge, aimed at better equipping SMEs to develop their business and tackle challenges faced in the Chinese market.
Since its establishment in 2010, the Centre has answered enquiries/provided support to over 700 companies from all member states of the European Union. Activities also included:
– publication of 60 guidelines, reports and case studies on issues related to doing business in China
– participation in over 100 other events on issues such as exporting goods and setting up in China
– 15 trainings on market access issues
The Centre is operated by a consortium of European Chambers of Commerce, led by the China-Britain Business Council and includes the Benelux, French, German, Italian and Spanish Chambers in Beijing, as well as the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and EUROCHAMBRES.
********************
Contact:
Anne-Laure Maddy
Communications Manager
+8613911857743
If you sign up today you’ll be able to
