The EU SME Centre held its official Phase V kick-off meeting on Friday 7 November 2025 among its key stakeholders, with participants joining online from Europe and China. Representatives from the Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) at the European Commission, the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), the EU Delegation to China, the consortium partners and the associated partners of the EU SME Centre took part.
The meeting was moderated by Mr Igor Kalinic, Head of Sector 2 (Competitiveness and Internationalisation) at EISMEA. A tour de table intoducing all participants was followed by opening remarks from Ms Natalia Martínez Páramo, Head of Unit I.02 (SMP/SME Pillar, Internal Market and Support to Standardisation) at EISMEA.
Ms Martínez Páramo congratulated the consortium partners for successfully completing Phase IV (2022–2025) and being selected to continue their work in Phase V, which runs from July 2025 to June 2028. She highlighted the actions by DG GROW and EISMEA to facilitate market access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) internationally, as well as the EU Delegation to China’s role in supporting the EU SME Centre’s activities.
She reaffirmed EISMEA’s goal of helping European SMEs realise their full potential in the global economy. Noting that China remains a complex market, she underlined the European Commission’s longstanding recognition of the need to assist SMEs in navigating it. She described the EU SME Centre as a widely recognised knowledge hub for European businesses wishing to operate or already active in China.
Ms Sophie Mueller, Head of Unit A.3 (International Value Chains) at DG GROW, introduced the policy context and the EU’s support for the internationalisation of SMEs, emphasising the EU SME Centre’s role as a “one-stop shop” for SME support services.
The consortium partners and associated partners of the EU SME Centre Phase V outlined their organisations’ specific contributions to the project. Mr Lorenzo Riccardi, Chairman of the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC), underlined the value of the consortium’s continuity, complementarity, and expertise, with CICC continuing its role as coordinator and liaison between EISMEA and all partners in Phase V.
Presentations were given by Mr Lorenzo Riccardi (CICC), Mr Adam Dunnett, Secretary General of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC), Mr Marco Bettin, Director of the Italy-China Council Foundation (ICCF), and Ms Sara Medina, Board Member of Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (SPI), on the activities undertaken by each implementing consortium partner and their specific role.
Ms Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director of the EU-China Business Association (EUCBA) and Ms Céline Carrabetta, representing Trade Promotion Europe (TPE) Secretary General Ms Flavie Guérin, presented the associated partners’ roles.
Together, partners will continue delivering the Centre’s range of activities, including market access publications, technical assistance with business enquiries, training, advocacy, partnerships, and outreach.
Mr Alberto Valenzano, Team Leader of Unit B.4 at DG GROW, highlighted opportunities for international cooperation and synergies with the Enterprise Europe Network.
In the meeting’s Q&A and concluding remarks, participants reaffirmed their commitment to the success of the initiative and to bringing the EU SME Centre’s services to the full range of stakeholders across EU Member States and countries in the Single Market Programme.
The consortium partners are currently organising the Understanding China Conference, the EU SME Centre’s annual flagship event in Brussels, scheduled on 10 December 2025. More information will follow shortly.
About the EU SME Centre
Created in 2010, the EU SME Centre is an initiative funded by the European Union to assist small and medium-sized enterprises from EU Member States and countries participating in the Single Market Programme, getting them ready to do business in China. The Centre helps facilitate market access and provides a comprehensive range of first-line, hands-on, free services to inform, advise, train, and connect European SMEs.
The EU SME Centre is in Phase V (July 2025 – June 2028) implemented by four consortium partners — the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Italy-China Council Foundation, Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação — and two associated partners, Trade Promotion Europe and EU-China Business Association.
