7th EU-China SME Policy Dialogue - Guangzhou November 9th

Dear Members,

Dear Friends,

The EU SME Centre and the European Union Chamber of Commerce are pleased to invite you to the SME Working Group meeting. It will be held on Thursday, 9th November, 15:00am-17:00pm at the Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou.

During this meeting, we will have the privilege to welcome Ms Kristin Schreiber, Director for SMEs and Entrepreneurship of the European Commission (bio attached) who will present how the European Commission is supporting the European SMEs to develop in China. She will also update us on the outcomes of the 7th EU-China SME Policy Dialogue which will take place the morning of the same day.

At this meeting, we will also have Mr Xavier-Lluis Sans Powell, Senior Policy & Advocacy Manager introducing the EU SME Centre and the services it offers for EU SME and Ms Francine Hadjisotiriou, General Manager of the European Chamber’s South China chapter delivering a presentation on the business environment and challenges faced by European SMEs in South China.

This is a unique opportunity for European SMEs based in South China to interact with European officials, share their experiences in developing their business in China and offer recommendations on how China and the EU could better support SMEs to further develop.

This is part of the EU SME Centre’s Phase II project based on the existing SME Working Group of the European Chamber and brings together European SMEs from all EU Member States with a mutual interest in lobbying issues affecting them and the capacity of representing SMEs and their issues. Involvement is open to SMEs from all European Member States regardless of their membership to one of the consortium partners of the EU SME Centre Phase II. More comprehensive information will be provided in the meeting.

For more details please visit the link of the event.

Event Details

Type: SME Working Group Policy Meeting

Date: Thursday, 9th November

Time: 15.00 pm – 17.00pm

Location: Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou - 5 Zhujiang West Road, Pearl River New City, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, China

Language: English

Admission: No charge but only open to European SMEs and European intermediary organisations

Tentative Agenda

15:00 – 15:05 Opening remarks by Ms Francine Hadjisotiriou, General Manager of the European Chamber’s South China chapter

15:05 – 15:25 Presentation by Ms. Kristin Schreiber, Director SMES and Entrepreunership, European Commission

15:25 – 15.45 Presentation on EU SME Centre Phase II by Xavier-Lluis Sans Powell, Senior Policy & Advocacy Manager, EU SME Centre

15.45 – 16:05 Presentation on business environment and challenges faced by European SMEs in South China by Ms Francine Hadjisotiriou, General Manager of the European Chamber’s South China chapter

16:05 – 16:45 Roundtable discussion and Q&A

16:15 – 16:50 Closing remarks by Ms Francine Hadjisotiriou, General Manager of the European Chamber’s South China chapter

Registration and Cancellation:

This meeting is available to European small and medium enterprises and SME intermediary organisations such as embassies or consulates, chambers of commerce and trade associations only. If you meet the criteria and would like to attend, please register with Mr Xavier-Lluis Sans Powell at xsanspowell@europeanchamber.com.cn and cc Ms Emma Yin (eyin@europeanchamber.com.cn). You will receive a confirmation email.

About the EU SME Centre

The EU SME Centre helps European SMEs to get ready for China. Financed by the European Union, the Centre provides practical information, confidential advice, training and business tools to better equip SMEs to develop their business and tackle challenges faced in the Chinese market. The Centre is implemented by six partners - the China-Britain Business Council, the Benelux Chamber of Commerce, the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, the French Chamber of Commerce in China, EUROCHAMBRES and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. To learn more about the EU SME Centre, visit www.eusmecentre.org.cn