European Union Chamber of Commerce in China

Established| 19 October 2000
Founder| European Union companies in China
Type| non-profit organisation, chamber of commerce
Legal status| Active
Purpose| Advocacy
Headquarters| Beijing, China
Fields| Business advocacy, public affairs, government affairs, surveys, reports, publications, newsletters, conference and events organising, training, networking

Membership (2023)

| More than 1,700

Official languages

| English, Chinese

Secretary General

| Adam Dunnett

President

| Jens Eskelund

Key people

| Jens Eskelund (President), Massimo Bagnasco (Vice-president), Stefan Bernhart (Vice-president), Carlo D'Andrea (Vice-president), Miguel Montoya (Vice-president), Bruno Weill (Vice-president), Klaus Zenkel (Vice-president), Gianni Di Giovanni (States' Representative), Peter Ling-Vannerus (States' Representative), Simon Lichtenberg (States' Representative), Xiaobo Zhang (Treasurer), Adam Dunnett (Secretary General).
Affiliations| Beijing, Nanjing, South China, Shanghai, Shenyang, Southwest China, Tianjin Chapters
Website| www.europeanchamber.com.cn

Advocacy organization of EU companies in China

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (European Chamber), is a non-profit and non-governmental organisation established to support and represent the interests of companies from the European Union operating in China.[1][2] The main objective of the European Chamber is to advocate for a better business environment. It does this through its membership services of advocacy, business intelligence, and community.[3][4] The organisation is headquartered in Beijing, China.

## Organization

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The European Chamber has more than 1,700 members from seven chapters active in nine Chinese cities including Beijing, Nanjing, South China (Guangzhou and Shenzhen), Shanghai, Shenyang, Southwest China (Chengdu and Chongqing), and Tianjin. The European Chamber is recognized by the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), and is registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA).

### Executive committee

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The executive committee of the European Chamber consists of a president, six vice presidents, a treasurer, three member states' representatives, and the European Chamber's Secretary General. Representatives of member companies are elected for a two-year term, renewable once.

### Supervisory Board

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The supervisory board of the European Chamber consists of member representatives who elect three persons to represent the group on the executive committee. In addition to creating an electoral college, the supervisory board meets regularly to monitor and guide the work of the executive committee. The national representatives are nominated by national chambers of commerce or embassies by default.

### Secretariat

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The secretariat of the European Chamber is responsible for the daily operations and activities.

## Publications

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As a common platform for information and cooperation, the European Chamber publishes magazines and reports about the current experience of European businesses in China. These publications provide insights into current markets, key regulatory issues, industry-expert opinions, and notable social trends in China.

* European Business in China Position Paper.[5][6][7]
* European Business in China Business Confidence Survey.[8][9][10][11][12]
* EURObiz—Journal of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.[13]
* Riskful Thinking: Navigating the Politics of Economic Security
* Flash Survey on Impact of China's Data Regulations
* China's Innovation Ecosystem: the localisation dilemma[14]
* Women in Business Report 2022[15]
* China's Innovation Ecosystem: Right for Many, But Not for All[16][17][18]
* Carbon Neutrality: The Role of European Companies in China's Race to 2060[19][20]
* Flash Survey on COVID-19 and the War in Ukraine: Impact of European Business in China[21][22][23][24]
* The Shape of Things to Come: The Race to Control Technical Standardisation[25][26][27]
* Decoupling: Severed Ties and Patchwork Globalisation.[28][29][30]
* In for the Long Haul: Developing A Sustainable Operating Environment for Airlines in China.[31][32]
* The Road Less Travelled: European Involvement in China's Belt and Road Initiative.[33][34]
* The Digital Hand: How China’s Corporate Social Credit System Conditions Market Actors.[35][36][37][38][39]
* 18 Months Since Davos: How China's Vision Became a Reform Imperative.[40][41][42]
* China Manufacturing 2025.[43][44][45]
* Overcapacity in China: An Impediment to the Party’s Reform Agenda.[46]
* Chinese Outbound Investment in the European Union.[47]
* Dulling the Cutting Edge: How Patent-Related Policies and Practices Hamper Innovation.[48]
* The Social and Economic Impact of Private Equity in China.[49]
* Public procurement in China.[50]
* Asia-Pacific Headquarters Study.[51]

## History

[edit]

The European Chamber was founded on 19 October 2000, by 51 European companies in search of a common representative of their interests in China. The Chamber is also part of an expanding network of European Business Organisation Worldwide Network (EBOWWN). This network promotes interactions between members and host countries and establish closer relationships with the Commission. The original purpose of the Chamber was to monitor how China implemented its WTO commitments.[52] According to the Chamber: "Foreign firms have long complained of an uneven playing field and an opaque regulatory environment when it comes to China."[2]

## Mission

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The European Chamber is an organization that aims for better market access and improved operating conditions for the European Union companies operating in China. To this end, it reaches out to Chinese and European government authorities,[53] think tanks, academics, international bodies, other chambers of commerce, and trade associations. The Chamber ensures awareness and compliance with relevant local laws, policies, and regulations. It also facilitates networking between its members, embassies, and Chinese interest groups. They oversee a network of companies and professionals, and help them exchange views and experiences regarding doing business in China. The European Chamber is primarily an advocacy organization that revolves around working groups and fora. These groups serve as a platform for the Chamber community and other local organizations, to foster understanding, share information, pursue common interests, promote trade and investment, and strengthen cooperation.[54][55]

## References

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1. ^ "Action not words needed on foreign access to China markets, says chamber". South China Morning Post. 19 September 2017.
2. ^ a b "European group urges China to actually open up markets like it says it will". CNBC. 18 September 2017.
3. ^ "European businesses attack China high-tech push". Financial Times. 7 March 2017.
4. ^ "Politics in China weighs heavily on businesses". Daily Sabah. 17 January 2018.
5. ^ "Position Paper". www.europeanchamber.com.cn. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
6. ^ "Chinese slowdown is a 'huge concern' for European firms". www.cnbc.com. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
7. ^ "European Companies in China Urge SOE Reforms Amid Weaker Economy". www.bloomberg.com. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
8. ^ "Business Confidence Survey". www.europeanchamber.com.cn. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
9. ^ "EU companies say China units increasingly isolated from HQ by zero-Covid". Financial Times. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
10. ^ "Nearly One in Four European Firms Consider Shifting Out of China". Bloomberg.com. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
11. ^ "Report: More companies in China handing over technology". AP NEWS. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
12. ^ "China must reform and make business fairer, European firms say". South China Morning Post. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
13. ^ "EUROBIZ MAGAZINE". EUCCC.
14. ^ "China's Innovation Ecosystem: the localisation dilemma". www.europeanchamber.com.cn. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
15. ^ "Women in Business". www.europeanchamber.com.cn. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
16. ^ "China's Innovation Ecosystem". www.europeanchamber.com.cn. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
17. ^ "Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian's Regular Press Conference on June 9, 2022". www.fmprc.gov.cn. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
18. ^ "China R&D key part of 'global portfolio', but leaks remain concern". South China Morning Post. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
19. ^ "Carbon Neutrality Report". www.europeanchamber.com.cn. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
20. ^ "China's carbon goals lack urgency and transparency, EU chamber report says". South China Morning Post. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
21. ^ "Flash Survey on COVID-19 and the War in Ukraine". www.europeanchamber.com.cn. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
22. ^ "European businesses warn China over zero-Covid policy". Financial Times. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
23. ^ Bradsher, Keith (5 May 2022). "China's Covid Policies Have European Companies Wary of Investing". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
24. ^ Douglas, Jason (5 May 2022). "China's Services Sector in Doldrums as Covid-19 Lockdowns Bite". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
25. ^ "Standardisation Report". www.europeanchamber.com.cn. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
26. ^ EU Chamber of Commerce in China on Global Tech Standards, 2 December 2021, retrieved 14 July 2022
27. ^ "European business says technical standards 'new battleground' for China, rest of world". Reuters. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
28. ^ "EU companies in China should 'prepare for the worst' in digital decoupling - report". Reuters. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
29. ^ "U.S.-China Decoupling Raises Risks for European Firms". Bloomberg.com. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
30. ^ "Decoupling could be 'death knell' for European firms in China: report". South China Morning Post. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
31. ^ "Phase One Trade Deal Pretty Much Dead: EU Chamber of Commerce in China". www.bloomberg.com. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
32. ^ "Call for reform of Chinese domestic flights' market".
33. ^ "European firms get 'crumbs' from China's Belt and Road: business group". Reuters. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
34. ^ Wernau, Julie (16 January 2020). "China Touts Its Belt-and-Road Effort as Collaborative, but Foreign Companies Feel Left Out". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
35. ^ "China to impose 'social credit' system on foreign companies". Financial Times. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
36. ^ Kubota, Yoko (28 August 2019). "China's Potential New Trade Weapon: Corporate Social Credits". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
37. ^ "Business group issues wake-up call on China's corporate 'social credit' plan". Reuters. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
38. ^ "China's social rating system 'life or death' matter for foreign businesses". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
39. ^ "China's corporate social credit system spooks European companies | DW | 28.08.2019". DW.COM. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
40. ^ Ming, Cheang (10 July 2018). "China's economic reform is falling short — and patience is growing thin, says report". CNBC. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
41. ^ "China Urgently Needs Economic Reform, European Chamber Says". Bloomberg.com. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
42. ^ "European firms rejig supply chains as US-China trade war rumbles". South China Morning Post. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
43. ^ tagesschau.de. "Industriepolitik: China first - auf Kosten Europas?". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 17 October 2019.
44. ^ "Why 'indigenous innovation' in China could be problematic". www.cnbc.com. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
45. ^ Bradsher, Keith; Mozur, Paul (7 March 2017). "China's Plan to Build Its Own High-Tech Industries Worries Western Businesses". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
46. ^ "How bad is China's industrial overcapacity?". www.cnbc.com. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
47. ^ "EU 'better than North America' for China firms". South China Morning Post. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
48. ^ "Patent Policy and Innovation in China". www.europeanchamber.com.cn. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
49. ^ Strategic Mergers & Acquisitions Working Group (30 June 2012). "The Social and Economic Impact of Private Equity in China". EUCCC.
50. ^ Public Procurement Working Group, Healthcare Equipment Working Group, ICT Working Group, Renewable Energy Sub-Working Group, Legal Working Group. (1 November 2011). "Public procurement in China". EUCCC.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
51. ^ "Asia-Pacific Headquarters Study". www.europeanchamber.com.cn. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
52. ^ EU Business in China. "A View from EU Business in China" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2018. `{{cite web}}`: `|author=` has generic name (help)
53. ^ "China needs to be placed at the top of the European Commission's 'to do' list". Financial Times. 4 November 2014.
54. ^ "Europe dares to talk tough with China regulators". Financial Times. 24 February 2015.
55. ^ "EU body urges China to accelerate opening up". China Daily. 19 September 2017.

## External links

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* European Union Chamber of Commerce in China official website
* EBO Worldwide Network website