IURC – China teamed up with EU SME Centre and co-organized a training session on 13 April 2022, which provided the participants with an overview of the key elements and main directions of China’s green transition efforts, particularly focusing on the areas of interest for EU businesses. It also provided an overview of the main market entry strategies that the European business –in particular SMEs – can pursue in China.

Mr. Frank Schmiedel, the First Counsellor of DG GROW in EU Delegation to China, gave an overview of the business environment in today’s emerging situation of global value chains, adjustments of the supply chains and other regional challenges.

Mr. Huw Slater, the Key Expert of the EU-China Environment Project and the Lead Climate Specialist of ICF, talked about the challenges and opportunities of China’s green transition and its implication for the European business. In China´s pathways of ecological modernisation and 30/60 decarbonisation, many sectors are developing rapidly, including green growth in industry, agriculture, infrastructure and services. He highlighted the opportunities for EU business in the fields of low carbon energy engineering and components, engineering and mechanical design, recycling processes and technologies, energy storage, biofuels, and services, e.g., facilities management, legal and financial advisory.

Mr. Alessio Petino, the Knowledge Coordinator of the EU SME Centre in China, gave an insight into the China Market Entry Strategies for SMEs in Europe. He presented the trends and fresh opportunities emerging from China´s green and digital transition.  He also unravelled the discrepancies in understanding the realities of the Chinese market and identified the primary challenges in the Chinese business environment, underlining concrete suggestions on how to overcome those challenges and useful tips on dealing with potential partners.

Ms. WANG Qian, the team leader of IURC-China, summarised the key takeaways and suggested further steps to consolidate the EU-China urban and regional cooperation.

The training session was moderated by Ms. FENG Keru, the key expert of IURC-China.