EU SME Centre

No plastic, fantastic? 🚮 In 2020, faced with surging amounts of #plasticwaste, #China started implementing a ban on single-use plastic bags, first in large cities, followed in 2022 by smaller towns. That year, a report by the United Nations Environment Programme had estimated that each individual in China used around 1 095 single-use plastic bags annually. China's food delivery industry, the largest in the world by a wide margin, larger on its own than the six main Southeast Asian markets combined, has been amplifying the waste crisis. In 2020, urban food delivery alone generated 37 billion #singleuseplastic (#SUP) containers, with most ending up in landfills and incinerators. Only a small fraction of food containers and tableware end up being recycled. Green-nudge initiatives have been launched by giant #takeout platforms Meituan and Ele.me to decrease waste produced by single-use cutlery, making customers opt in to receive disposable cutlery and setting up a no-cutlery default option. However, in practice, many restaurants dealing with a large number of takeaway orders continue to include single-use cutlery in their delivery bags. This is done to cut risks of receiving a negative review that could lower the ranking on which restaurants depend for business on digital platforms. The ban of single-use plastic bags has not brought entirely sustainable solutions either, as nonwoven bags replacing many of them are primarily composed of polypropylene, polyester and other petrochemical materials. Their greater durability is only an asset for sustainability if they end up being reused multiple times, which is rarely the case, as customers keep receiving bags with each new order. Are you a European SME pioneering sustainable solutions for the F&B industry? Our new report gives you an overview of the market for #wastereduction and #recycling in China and guides you through market entry considerations. Find the link to download the report in the comment section ⬇️

#Partnership Announcement 🤝 Our new partner Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency is part of #Slovakia's National Project for the internationalisation of #SMEs and we are looking forward to teaming up with first-line information, training events, and advice on how to do business in #China. The core mission of #SARIO is to accelerate the potential of the #SlovakRepublic in investment, export and innovation, with a focus on high-value industries such as top technologies. Together, we aim to assist #Slovak entrepreneurs entering the #Chinesemarket with practical knowledge to identify opportunities and to find the right support.

#EuropeanTradeinCharts After our first post on #Ireland's external trade, we narrow in on the country's exchanges with #China. Ireland is one of the few EU Member States with a consistent trade surplus with China over the past decade. Back in 2015, Ireland's trade surplus stood 1,5 billion euro. It has since expanded significantly, stabilising at around 13 billion euro annually over the past three years. In contrast, most other European economies record trade deficits in their exchanges with China. For context, the Netherlands holds the largest European trade deficit with China, at over 94 billion euro. In 2024, Irish exports to China span diverse sectors, with top export categories filled in by high-tech goods, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. Among the top 10 Irish exports, processors and controllers (integrated circuits) dominate in terms of traded value. Do you want to know more about #IrelandChina trade? Reach out to the EU SME Centre business advisors and to our partner organisations in Ireland in the comments!

#CallforComments China's Ministry of Finance has released a draft regulation on government #procurement, proposing to apply a bidding price reduction of 20% for products manufactured domestically and meeting certain requirements. The Notice on Matters Relating to Domestic Product Standards and Implementation Policies in the Field of Government Procurement notes that the deduction would apply to all types of business entities, including SOEs, domestic and foreign-invested enterprises, if the product undergoes a significant transformation within #China's territory, from raw materials to finished goods, and if the production cost of components manufactured in China reaches a certain level. Are you a European small or medium-sized enterprise, or a business support organisation representing SMEs likely to be impacted by the new policy? The EU SME Centre and European Union Chamber of Commerce in China invite you to send us your comments before 27 December 2024. Read more about the draft regulation and reach out to our #Advocacy team: https://lnkd.in/dEZftW-R #AdvocacyMatters #SME #GovernmentProcurement

On Thursday 5 December, we were delighted to see our SME community gathering in #Guangzhou foster valuable conversations and new connections. The event, organised in cooperation with the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and China-Italy Chamber of Commerce CICC, opened with remarks delivered by Fabian BLAKE, Vice Chairman of the European Chamber South China Board. Next, EU SME Centre Team Leader Liam Jia updated participants on the policy landscape relevant to SMEs in #SouthChina and the services available to assist them. During the panel discussion moderated by Danica Mai, Vice Chair of the European Chamber SME Forum, speakers Fabian BLAKE, Daisy Yang, and Jeremy Sargent OBE highlighted the evolution of the business environment in the Greater Bay Area in recent years. The panel discussed the heightened competition in several industries, notably in the #foodandbeverage sector, as well as geopolitical uncertainty leading many business managers to adopt a wait-and-see approach regarding business expansion. Key topics discussed also included challenges such as #HR disputes, #IPR protection issues, and the ever-persistent problem of #latepayments, as well as how SMEs can seize existing opportunities in the #GBA. Thank you to everyone who joined us, contributed to the discussions, and made this event impactful! Francine Hadjisotiriou-Tersiguel | Lynn Wu | Romina D. | Alessandro Lamantia | Filippo Pallaroni #SMEnetworking #GBAbusiness #HappyMonkGuangzhou

Great to exchange with European #SMEs in #Shenzhen during a networking discussion on the strengths and challenges of businesses operating in the Greater Bay Area. On 4 December, in cooperation with the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China South China Chapter, the EU SME Centre Team Lead Liam Jia and Training Centre Coordinator Filippo Pallaroni met with over 30 entrepreneurs in Shenzhen and shared takeaways from the recent #UnderstandingChinaConference as well as policy updates relevant to SMEs in the #GBA. In a panel discussion moderated by Daisy Yang, Chair of the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Forum, speakers Giorgi Gianluca, Tobias Könings, and Christian Gassner exchanged views on #greenmanufacturing and how SMEs can embrace sustainable practices and adapt to compliance requirements both in #China and in the #EU. The discussion delved into the impact of broader geopolitical trends, notably on #sourcing and selecting a production location. The speakers and participants also narrowed in on common #HR challenges faced by SMEs, including the need for #softinfrastructure such as international schools to attract and retain foreign talent and the difficulty in finding technical and non-technical talent for specialised small and medium-sized enterprises. Special thanks to Francine Hadjisotiriou-Tersiguel, General Manager European Chamber South China, Lynn Wu, Business and Government Affairs Manager and all the European Chamber South China team for working with us to make this event happen, as well as to all participants for sharing invaluable on-the-ground insights.

We are delighted to announce our #partnership with IASP - International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation, to support the internationalisation of European specialised professionals and entrepreneurs interested in entering the #Chinesemarket. #IASP is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation managed by experts in science and technology parks and areas of innovation. With global headquarters in #Malaga (#Spain), IASP is also present in #China with a branch office in #Beijing. Stay tuned for our next events together!

Our next policy meeting for stakeholders will focus on #US-#EU-#China relations. The outcome of the November 2024 elections has brought about many questions on the strategic approaches the Trump 2.0 administration will take on global trends and challenges. The question of whether the US will continue to support #Ukraine and maintain its current #Taiwan policy, the potential for a #tariff-centred American trade policy, and the threat of the US retrenching on the #climate front, are all decisions that will have far-reaching implications across the world. Meanwhile, the EU – which has undergone its own election and leadership transition process – and China have also been assessing their own strategies for dealing with a second Trump term. From an industry perspective, European and US industry players are also carefully monitoring the dynamics among these three actors in order to identify and address risks to their operations, investments and supply chains. The EU SME Centre and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China are pleased to invite stakeholders to join our next Policy Meeting, where Joerg Wuttke, Partner at DGA-Albright-Stonebridge Group, Noah Fraser 范诺亚, Senior Vice President of China Operations for the US-China Business Council, and Mabel Lu Miao, Co-founder and Secretary-General of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), will discuss the potential dynamics between the EU, the US and China and their implications for the European and American business communities in China. Please note that this is a closed meeting open to consortium partners’ management and relevant stakeholders of the EU SME Centre Phase IV including European embassies, consulates, EU-funded projects and secretariat/board members from European chambers or business associations only. 📰 Ready or Not: EU-US-China Relations in the Trump 2.0 Era 📍 Beijing 🗓️ Friday 13 December from 9 AM to 10:30 AM CST 🎫 Free of charge but open to stakeholders only Full agenda and registration: https://lnkd.in/erT293gT

#EuropeanTradeinCharts For our recent information session in partnership with WestBIC for Irish entrepreneurs looking to enter the Chinese market, we looked into #Ireland trade data. With one of the highest GDP per capita in the world, Ireland is strongly trade-oriented. In 2022, the country exported over EUR 208 billion in value, while it imported EUR 141 billion, achieving a high trade surplus. Among the top export destinations, the EU figures as the main receptor of Irish goods, closely followed by the US and UK, with China, Japan, and Canada completing the picture. Chemicals (64%), machinery (14%) and manufactured goods (10%) constituted almost 80% of Irish exports in 2022. What about #IrelandChina trade? This will be the focus of our next #tradedata post. Do you have questions about #EUChina trade and market access? Ask our business experts for information in the comments!

If you missed last week's webinar for new exporters to the Chinese market, you can now find on our YouTube channel its practical information on market entry, partner identification, and common pitfalls to avoid: https://lnkd.in/eyenEE-k This event was organised in partnership with WestBIC and SPI - Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação, with opening remarks by John Brennan, an introduction to the EU SME Centre's activities by Sara Medina, and a keynote presentation by EU SME Centre Business Advisor Weronika Gryglaszewska. Do you have a question about starting to export from Europe to China? Ask our experts for information and advice ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eMDMJpag