SINGLE MARKET PROGRAMME – EU-SME Centre in China – 2025

Objectives

• To assist target SMEs in identifying the most suitable EU and non-EU business support organizations, trade promotion organizations
• To assess target SMEs’ readiness to establish and develop their commercial presence in the Chinese market, and to provide suitable advice on their level of preparedness for internationalisation
• To assist target SMEs in establishing and developing a sustainable commercial presence in the Chinese market
• To develop better knowledge of the industrial and business environment in China
• To advise target SMEs on the risks and opportunities of the Chinese market so that they can take informed decisions on envisaged business relations with Chinese partners
• To improve synergies and best practice sharing among EU BSOs/TPOs at European, national, and regional levels
• To create or further develop synergies with other EU-funded actions in a ‘Team Europe’ fashion
• To strengthen European advocacy for the business communities of EU and SMP-associated countries
• To advise target SMEs already operating in China on how to de-risk their operations

Priorities

• Priority 1: To ensure the business continuity of the Centre throughout the project
• Priority 2: To offer in-person, online or hybrid business support services considering their
  impact in terms of active participation and effectiveness
• Priority 3: To identify new challenges as well as new barriers for SMEs considering expanding
  their business or operating in the Chinese market, including those related to derisking and market exit
• Priority 4: To focus on a limited set of pre-identified relevant economic sectors to continue improving the offer of value-added services at the disposal of target SMEs
• Priority 5: To ensure that the activities of the Centre are coherent with the broader EU-China strategy
• Priority 6: To promote coordination and developing fruitful cooperation and synergies with other EU-funded actions, EU policy initiatives and other European players, both in China and in the EU
• Priority 7: To facilitate direct contacts and networking among and with target SMEs, to support
  exchange of best practices, cooperation and “Team Europe” spirit
• Priority 8: To advocate on behalf of target SMEs, by collaborating with relevant stakeholders via
  oral and written contributions, and by reporting to DG GROW on market access trends and challenges faced by target SMEs in China
• Priority 9: To improve the Centre’s role as SMEs’ “first point of contact” in China via an effective
  outreach and communication strategy

Among financed actions

• Help raise awareness and knowledge among target SMEs on China’s large and complex market
• Provide updated general market entry services and basic legal advice
• Provide a user-friendly direct contact with the Centre
• Store and share (authorised) recordings of events, training, workshops, webinars as well as related information material
• Establish a ”one working day maximum” response delay to simple enquiries received via the Centre’s website

Eligibility

• Be a legal person
• Be a public or private entity
• Be established in one of the eligible countries:
  • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories)
  • Non-EU states: listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Single Market Programme (Click here)
  • China, pursuant to Article 9 (2) (c) of the SMP Regulation
  • Be business support organisations (BSO) and/or trade promotion organisations (TPO) (see details on the call document)
• A consortium composed of at least 4 entities must be constituted :
  • at least 2 entities (BSO or TPO) must be established in the EU, in 2 different Member States
  • at least 2 entities (BSO or TPO) must be established in China

Additional information

• Initial duration of the action: 36 months
• Contact: EISMEA-SMP-COSME-ENQUIRIES@ec.europa.eu

Useful

• Guidelines: Click here
• Other call documents: Click here
• Executive Agency website: Click here
• More information: Click here

• Total budget of the call: 2.7 million euro
• Amount of the grant: up to 2.7 million euro
• Funding rate: up to 90% of the total eligible costs