A market survey is being prepared on e-commerce in China for food and beverage, ordered by the European Commission.

As a member of the European Trade Promotion Organisations’ Association (ETPOA) Flanders Investment & Trade is cooperating to make the survey. Are you already selling food and beverage in China? Through traditional channels? Through e-commerce? Share your experiences through this survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EcommerceCNbusiness 

Answers to the survey will be anonymous. This market survey will be published in a few months.

It is foreseen that during the week of 31 May – 4 June, the European Commission (DG TRADE) will meet with representatives of the Chinese authorities for the regular meeting of the EU-China Intellectual Property (IP) Working Group. The meetings will take place online.

You are therefore invited to bring to our attention any issue, information or problems, related to IPR in China that you wish us to raise particularly during the meetings with the Chinese authorities. The meetings will be based on the 4 priorities set by the EU-China IPR Dialogue:

Priority Area 1: Legislative projects in the areas of copyright and patents, including the Beijing Treaty ratification, the unitary patent system, standard-essential patents, the pending amendment to China’s law on protection of plant varieties, laws and guidelines providing for clinical trial data protection and patent term extension

Priority Area 2: Bad-faith registration of trademarks, patents, and designs, and protection of well-known trademarks

Priority Area 3: Enforcement activities and developments, particularly online counterfeiting and piracy, and standards on verification of the source of counterfeiting goods

Priority Area 4: Trade secrets protection

Please let us know any relevant issues you would like to bring to our attention for the preparation of the Working Group. Please be so kind to send us your eventual input by Monday 17 May by the latest.

There is no need to re-sent the information already provided during the “Public consultation on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in third countries” undertaken in 2020”. The information already submitted will be duly taken into account.

Contact: Jan Schmitz
DG TRADE, Unit B3 – Intellectual Property Rights

e-mail: jan.schmitz@ec.europa.eu 

Areté, an Italian consulting firm has been contracted by DG AGRI of the European Commission to complete a study on EU agri-food exports via e-commerce to China. The ultimate aim of this study is to help boost EU agri-food exports through e-commerce to China. 

We are now in the main phase of the study and are kindly requesting your assistance in the data collection process. In particular, two separate surveys have been launched with the aim of collecting the experiences and perspective of both business operators and promotion agencies / chambers of commerce:

1. A survey of chambers of commerce, trade promotion agencies and competent authorities, available at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EcommerceCNchambersagencies.

2. A survey of EU agri-food operators and sector organisations, available at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EcommerceCNbusiness The survey is available in multiple languages and is relevant to both to sectors/operators which export to China via e-commerce and those which do not. Replies to the survey will be used for the purpose of this study only and will not be made available to the public, except in an aggregated form that will ensure anonymity.

Replies are expected by May 4. Thank you in advance for your contribution to the study.

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) has published its annual report on Fairs and Exhibitions in China 2021. in the book is collected information about 1500 economic and trade projects, which will take place in about 100 cities of China in 2021. Project data includes the name, time and venue, host and organizer, display content and contact information of the exhibitions. Members of the Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce can obtain a PDF of the book by sending an e-mail to info@flanders-china.be 

The 127th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, will be held online from June 15 to 24.

Powered by advanced information technology, the Canton Fair will provide around-the-clock online services for product promotion, matchmaking and business negotiations, enabling both Chinese and international businesses to place orders remotely.

For more information, please visit: www.cantonfair.org.cn

Buyer’s Guide for the 127th Canton Fair Online

Exhibit Categories
The exhibition sections of the National Pavilion and International Pavilion shall be arranged as in the previous session. A Traditional Chinese Specialty section will be set up, and these products will also be included in the corresponding section according to category. All contents of the Fair will be released online at the same time.

There are 50 exhibition sections that cover 16 major categories in the National Pavilion: Electronics & Household Electrical Appliances; Lighting Equipment; Vehicles & Spare Parts; Hardware & Tools; Machinery; Building Materials; Chemical Products; Energy Resources; Consumer Goods; Gifts; Textiles & Garments; Shoes; Home Decorations; Office Supplies, Cases & Bags, and Recreation Products; Food; Medicines, Medical Devices and Health Products.

The International Pavilion displays 6 major categories: Electronics & Household Electrical Appliances; Building Materials & Hardware; Machinery Equipments; Food & Drink; Household Items; Fabrics and Home Textiles.

Online Services
Powered by advanced information technology, we will establish an online exhibition platform on the official website. About 25,000 exhibitors who have their booths confirmed in this session will display online according to their exhibition sections. We will provide around-the-clock online services for product promotion, matchmaking and business negotiations, including online exhibition, live streaming services, matchmaking and activities on third party platforms.

How to Log in
Domestic and overseas buyers can register or log in on the official website of the Canton Fair to join various activities online.