This short guideline attempts to address how to find a reliable agent for export products requiring pre-market approval.
China is a country where third-party intermediaries play an important role. You will find them not only by providing language translations or purchasing services but also by supporting exporting companies navigating through the complex market access system. Particularly in sectors which require pre-market approval, the service of a local Chinese agent is mandatory because licenses can only be obtained by Chinese nationals.
Here, an EU SME is directly challenged finding the right agent to get its products successfully registered and into the market. However, finding the right agent is not an easy undertaking which is reflected in many enquiries the EU SME Centre received in the past three years. The guideline provides an overview of where in the China market intermediaries are involved and addresses the aspects to be taken into consideration when finding an agent, using the sector example of Medical Devices.
