Understanding China

The project aims to help European companies better understand the Chinese economy and increase their competitiveness on that market.

Main objectives and activities:

Being one of the largest and most important world economies, China undoubtedly represents a huge potential but also a big challenge for European businesses. Existing trade barriers, fast economic and political changes together with a limited capacity to access consistent and updated information on China often make it difficult for EU companies to approach this market.

Therefore, the project “Understanding China” is designed to improve and facilitate the understanding of China for European businesses, especially SMEs.

A wide range of activities will be carried out to achieve this overall objective. They can be grouped under two main sections:

• Trainings: 3 cycles of a high-quality training programme for executives working on international trade and/or China related issues from different European business representative organisations (such as: chambers of commerce, business federations, SMEs organisations, etc.)
  Result: better services to companies interested in the Chinese market
  
  
• Policy dialogue: Organisation of high-level conferences in Brussels, SMEs roundtables in different European countries, creation of an interactive web platform + intelligence hub on China, senior advisory body (China Advisory Council)
  Result: constant exchange of targeted knowledge, experience and best practices between relevant stakeholders (European companies, researchers and policy makers).

Organisation:

• EUROCHAMBRES - project leader
• Friends of Europe
• University of Antwerp Management School
• EUObserver
• 8 European Chambers of Commerce:
  Unioncamere, ACFCI, Rotterdam Chamber of Commerce, Madrid Official Chamber of Commerce, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, Czech Chamber of Commerce, Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise
• Associated European Chambers of Commerce in China:
  Delegation of German Industry and Commerce Beijing, China Italy Chamber of Commerce, BENCHAM - Benelux Chamber of Commerce in China; French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China
• Associated Knowledge partners in Europe
• Supported by UEAPME

Project details:

• Project launched: January 2009
• Total budget: € 3, 6 million grant contract (co-financing 80%)
• Duration: 3, 5 years (until mid-2012)

Understanding China is a programme co-financed by the European Commission – DG EuropeAid.