The China IPR Helpdesk, the EU SME Centre and the European Enterprise Network are established in China to help by bringing the risks – and rewards – of the Chinese market into focus. In particular, the EU SME Centre is a support service provider for European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) facilitating market access in China, says the European Commission.

China has become a key market for SMEs hoping to make a splash overseas. However, while it represents significant opportunities, the Chinese market can also pose daunting challenges for EU SMEs. According to the European Commission, the China IPR Helpdesk, the EU SME Centre and the European Enterprise Network are here to help by bringing the risks – and rewards – of the Chinese market into focus. In March 2012, the Commission announced new and updated initiatives to assist SMEs to go international.

Particularly, the EU SME Centre provides free of charge, practical information, advice and business tools to better equip SMEs to develop their business and tackle challenges faced in the Chinese market. It also acts as a platform facilitating coordination amongst Member State and European public and private sector service providers to SMEs.

In addition, the China IPR SME Helpdesk makes sure that SMEs ‘know before they go’ – that they invest and trade safely, and that they know their IPR rights and risks. This unique, free service provides business-focused advice through its online portal, helpline services, training workshops and published materials. The Commission also highlighted that there are also five consortia of the Enterprise Europe Network assisting SMEs in China. They cover central, southeast, northeast, west, and east China.