The EU SME Centre's flagship event, the Understanding China Conference, will be back in Brussels on 29 and 30 October 2024. On the first day of the Conference, policymakers from the EU institutions, economists, industry experts, and think-tank analysts will share their insights into EU-China trade relations, China’s economic outlook, the current policy environment, green technology’s rise and trends, and how these factors impact European SMEs.
On the second day, we will narrow in on business information and best practices for SMEs in China. Presentations will include an assessment of free-trade zones and new recommendations on IP protection, with case studies of enterprises already active in the Chinese market.
Tuesday 29 October
Agenda (Brussels Time)
9:00–9:30 Opening remarks
– Bonifacio Garcia Porras, Head of Unit, DG for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Directorate A, GROW Unit A2 – SMEs, European Commission – Igor Kalinic, Head of Sector, European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency – EISMEA, European Commission
9:30–11:00 China’s Economic Outlook Keynote speakers and panelists:
– Dan Wang, Ex-Chief Economist, Hang Seng Bank China – Alicia Garcia-Herrero, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific, Natixis (joining online) Panel discussion moderator: Massimo Bagnasco, Vice President, European Union Chamber of Commerce in China
11:00–11:20 Coffee break
11:20–12:20 EU-China Trade Relations
Keynote speakers and panelists: Eva Valle Lagares, Head of Unit Far East, DG Trade, European Commission
14:00–14:45 Implementing the EU SME Centre: A Discussion with Consortium Partners
– China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC) – European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC) – Italy-China Council Foundation (ICCF) – Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (SPI) – Trade Promotion Europe (TPE) – EU-China Business Association (EUCBA)
14:45–16:15 Policy Environment and Business Confidence
Keynote speakers and panelists – Ester Cañada Amela, Advocacy Manager, EU SME Centre – Representative from Business Europe – Andrzej Juchniewicz, Head of Foreign Trade Office in Shanghai, Polish Trade and Investment (PAIH)
16:15–16:30 Coffee break
16:30–17:30 Green Technologies
– Massimo Bagnasco, Vice President, European Union Chamber of Commerce in China – Wanyuan Song, Section Editor (China), Carbon Brief – SME Participants in the 2024 SME Business Mission organized by the EU SME Centre
17:30–19:00 Networking cocktail
Wednesday 30 October
Agenda (Brussels Time)
9:00–10:20 Cybersecurity and Connectivity
10:20–10:35 Coffee break
10:35–11:30 IPR Protection: Recent Developments
Keynote speaker: Simon Cheetham, Team Leader, China IP SME Helpdesk
11:30–12:30 Industrial Dynamics: Local Governments, Regional Clusters, Free-Trade Zones, High-Tech Zones
Keynote speaker: Alessio Petino, Business Advisor, EU SME Centre With the inclusion of case studies from SME Goglio (Tianjin) with General Manager Mirko Turrina
Registration and Attendance
To register to this free event, please fill in the form here . The Understanding China Conference is organized in a hybrid format: onsite in Brussels with online livestreaming.
Please note that onsite attendance on the first day is reserved to partner organizations of the EU SME Centre and intermediary organizations such as government agencies, industry associations, business support organizations (BSOs), trade promotion organizations (TPOs), chambers of commerce, and clusters.
About the Understanding China Conference
The Understanding China Conference is a two-day annual series of keynote presentations, panel discussions, and workshops organized since 2011 by the EU SME Centre. The Conference’s objective is to inform stakeholders on the most recent developments and trends observed in China and discuss potential impacts on European small and medium-sized enterprises.
Participation is free of charge and all sessions are organized in English. Ask our EU Partnerships Manager Davide Orlandi your questions about this event by email at: davide.orlandi@eusmecentre.org.cn .
Stream the sessions of the 2023 Understanding China Conference here
