Trade fairs in China welcome each year thousands of domestic and overseas visitors. Participating in trade fairs remains an effective approach for European SMEs to meet potential Chinese business partners. However, without full preparation and a tailored strategy, going to a trade fair is unlikely to bring significant benefits to exhibitors in the short term. It may even make a company’s market entry more complex. The EU SME Centre, in collaboration with the China IP SME Helpdesk, has recently published its new Guide to Trade Fairs in China. This report aims to provide EU SMEs with a comprehensive and practical overview, updated for 2024, of how to get ready and maximise the potential benefits of participating in Chinese trade fairs.
On 23 May, Alessio Petino from the EU SME Centre will present the main takeaways of the recent Guide to Trade Fairs in China, with practical recommendations to select relevant fairs and harness their B2B and B2C potential. Lisa Lu from the China IP SME Helpdesk will speak about the importance of IP protection when attending trade fairs. She will explain the common IP issues SMEs face at the trade fairs and share the best practices of IP protection before, during and after the trade fairs.
Agenda (Brussels Time)
10:00–10:10
Opening remarks EU SME Centre introduction China IP SME Helpdesk introduction
10:10–10:30
2024 Guide to Trade Fairs in China – Overview and Recommendations for European SMEs Alessio Petino, Business Advisor, EU SME Centre
10:30–10:50
IP Protection at Trade Fairs in China Lisa Lu, IP Business Advisor, China IP SME Helpdesk
10:50–11:00
Q&A session
Keynote speakers
Alessio Petino
Business Advisor, EU SME Centre
Alessio has worked for 8+ years on various EU-funded projects in China, mainly conducting policy and regulatory analysis for European companies looking to enter or already in the Chinese market. Key focus areas: market access regulations and barriers, investment attraction policies, standards & compliance – with particular focus on R&D, tech & innovation.
Alessio joined the EU SME Centre in October 2020. He coordinates reports, guidelines and technical assistance to European SMEs; he also delivers training about different market entry approaches and engagements with China, opportunities and risks, as well as do’s and don’ts.
Lisa Lu
China IP SME Helpdesk, IP Business Advisor
Lisa Lu is the IP Business Advisor at China IP SME Helpdesk in Beijing, where she advises European SMEs on intellectual property rights matters. She holds a double master’s degree in law from the China University of Political Science and Law and University of Hamburg. Before joining the China IP SME Helpdesk at the European Chamber, Lisa worked as a trademark attorney for the Ferrante Intellectual Property and Chang Tsi & Partners. She mainly focused on the fields of trademark prosecution, trademark enforcement, copyright protection and unfair competition.
During her time working in both law firms, she dealt with a variety of clients including but not limited to automotive performance, media, entertainment, new energy, apparel, architecture design, data management, e-commerce, household products, HVAC, and fire & security. Her clients included a range of globally leading companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Lisa is fluent in Chinese and English.
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