Call for exhibitors | European SME Pavilion @ China International Industry Fair (CIIF)

The EU SME Centre is pleased to announce that it is organising an official European SME Pavilion at the next edition of the China International Industry Fair (CIIF) – which will take place from 1 to 5 December 2021 in Shanghai. The European SME Pavilion will be regarded as the only guest of honour at this year’s CIIF.

The decision comes after the EU SME Centre specifically met with a delegation from the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatisation, led by its Vice Chairman, Mr Rong Zhiqing, and of the Shanghai SME Development Center, in March 2021. The European SME Pavilion will be a unique opportunity to showcase the technologies and products of innovative European SMEs. This is an EU-wide initiative strongly supported by the EU SME Centre’s implementing partners, led by its coordinator, the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce. 1. Introduction to CIIF CIIF is the most influential fair in the industry sector in China and one of the biggest in Asia. Launched for the first time in 1999, CIIF comprises nine theme shows, over a 280,000 m2 exhibition area, and gathering every year more than 2,500 exhibitors and 200,000 trade visitors from all over the world. CIIF is a national-level fair jointly organised by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, and the China Machinery Industry Federation. The European SME Pavilion will be located in the Industrial Automation show, but we are open to the participation of companies operating in any of CIIF’s priority sectors, which include: ▪ Clean technologies, environment ▪ Smart energy, energy efficiency and saving technologies ▪ Industrial cleaning ▪ Industrial automation and robotics ▪ Intelligent, advanced manufacturing ▪ Information and communication technologies ▪ Automotive and components ▪ New energy vehicles ▪ New materials ▪ Metalworking and CNC machine tools More information on CIIF: https://www.ciif-expo.com/plus/list.php?tid=255. 2. Introduction to European SME Pavilion

The European SME Pavilion will be the only guest of honour of CIIF’s 2021 edition. It will be dedicated exclusively to small and medium-sized enterprises from the European Union and COSME-participating countries.1 It will occupy an area of approximately 1,000 m2.

The European SME Pavilion will host around 15 target exhibitors operating in one of the priority sectors of CIIF (described in the previous section). Two categories of exhibitors will be accepted:

▪ SMEs whose products are already present in China, can participate through their Chinese subsidiaries, or through their Chinese agents/distributors

▪ SMEs whose products are not in China, but are highly interested in the sector, can participate through their national embassy or chamber of commerce in China, which will participate on behalf of the SME. All EU member states embassies and chambers of commerce have already been informed about this initiative.

Individual booths will be offered to each exhibitor, and a common space for meetings and conferences will be available within the pavilion.

*This is an initial rendering of the European SME Pavilion; the final design may vary slightly.

SMEs participating in the European SME Pavilion will also have exclusive access to a series of side events to be organised during the fair, including: dialogue with Chinese and European authorities, ad hoc trainings and seminars on the Chinese market. Each SME might also propose their own events to be hosted within the European SME Pavilion for free.

The European SME Pavilion is strongly supported by the Shanghai’s Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatisation (see invitation letter attached to this announcement) and by the China Centre for the Promotion of SME Development under MIIT. It is therefore expected that various representatives from European and Chinese government bodies, trade associations, and Chinese media, will visit the Pavilion.

In short, European SMEs participating in the European SME Pavilion will enjoy the following benefits:

▪ Official part of the first-ever European SME Pavilion organised at a national-level fair in China;

▪ Great exposure to Chinese government agencies and business organisations;

▪ High visibility from large Chinese media presence and promotion through official channels;

▪ Exclusive access to side events, such as dialogue with Chinese and European authorities, as well as trainings and seminars on the Chinese market, organised both before and during the fair;

▪ Possibility for SMEs to organise additional side events within the European SME Pavilion, for free;

▪ On-site consultations with experts from the EU SME Centre, and other relevant EU-wide project;

▪ Very convenient price and “one-stop” service package.

3. Recruitment of exhibitors and booth options available

The European SME Pavilion will host around 40 SMEs from the EU and COSME-participating countries and operating in the priority sectors of CIIF. Each SME can choose between two different options for standard booths (other requests for difference sizes may be considered):

▪ 12 m2: price up to 16,000 RMB / 2,050 EUR *

▪ 24 m2: price up to 22,500 RMB / 2,900 EUR *

* These are very special and unique prices offered exclusively to participants of the European SME Pavilion, thanks to the strong priority and support of various bodies to this initiative.

* Prices may vary depending upon the final number of SMEs present in the European SME Pavilion.

* Requests for booths of different size might be considered.

➔ Attention! The fees will include the standard design – shown above – and set-up of the booth, with company name and logo. Additional fees will apply separately to each SMEs in case of special requests, such as special design, pics, rental of equipment, transportation and storage of equipment, etc. These will need to be agreed by each individual SME with the implementing partner of CIIF: Donghao Langsheng (Group) Co., Ltd. The EU SME Centre will assist in the process.

➔ Attention! The fees will be paid directly by individual SMEs to the implementing partner of the fair: Donghao Langsheng (Group) Co., Ltd.

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1 Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

2 More information on the definition of SMEs can be found on: https://www.eusmecentre.org.cn/sites/default/files/2019%20SME%20Policy%20Environment%20Report_0.pdf.

• A_I. Exhibitor application form.docx
• A_II. Invitation Letter – CIIF organizing committee.pdf