The Chinese market can present significant potential for European small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in the food and beverage sector. Regional specialities such as seafood products, wines, and other traditional goods have the potential to appeal to affluent, urban Chinese consumers who are seeking premium, authentic, and high-quality imported goods. However, exporting to China requires navigating a complex business environment with strict regulatory requirements, intellectual property considerations and strong domestic competition.
To provide guidance to SMEs interested in exporting F&B products to the Chinese market, the EU SME Centre is organising on 28 April a new webinar on market entry with the Clúster Alimentario de Galicia (Clusaga) and the China IP SME Helpdesk.
The session will provide practical insights into the structure and characteristics of the Chinese market and outline the main commercial channels available, from e-commerce platforms to brick-and-mortar retail, assessing their respective advantages and limitations. It will also highlight the importance of taking early action to protect a company’s intellectual property rights.
The event will be conducted in English. It is open, free of charge, to all SMEs from EU Member States and countries participating in the Single Market Programme.
- intellectual property
- Tuesday 28 April 2026, 11:00 - 12:30 (CEST)
Practical information
- When
- Tuesday 28 April 2026, 11:00 - 12:30 (CEST)
- Languages
- English
- Organisers
- EU SME Centre | Clúster Alimentario de Galicia (Clusaga) | China IP SME Helpdesk
- Website
- EU SME Centre website
Description
Event Details
Date 28 April 2026
Time 17:00 - 18:30 Beijing Time
11:00 - 12:30 Brussels Time
Venue Zoom
Agenda (Brussels Time)
11:00–11:10 Opening remarks
Introduction by the EU SME Centre and Clusaga
11:10–11:35 General Presentation of the Chinese Market
David Lavorel, Business Advisor, EU SME Centre
11:35–12:00 China’s F&B Market
David Lavorel, Business Advisor, EU SME Centre
12:00–12:20 IPR Protection in China
Helika Jürgenson, Project Manager, China IP SME Helpdesk
12:20–12:30 Q&A session
Speakers
 | As the Business Advisor of the EU SME Centre, David Lavorel advises European SMEs on how to access opportunities and mitigate risks in the Chinese market. A seasoned advisor with extensive experience on China-related matters, he has spent most of the past 30 years in China. He worked for a French electric utility company, a European chemical group, the Trade section of the French Embassy in Beijing and a leading European Intellectual Property Law firm. In 2010, he was selected by the European Commission and a consortium of chambers of commerce to launch the EU SME Centre Phase I. During his career, he has advised hundreds of SMEs on how to approach the Chinese market, with a particular focus on industrial and infrastructure sectors. |
David Lavorel Business Advisor, EU SME Centre |
 | Helika Jürgenson is the Project Manager of China IPR SME Helpdesk, a project funded by the European Union and designed to help European SMEs with intellectual property rights issues when doing business in China. Helika manages the day-to-day work of the Helpdesk and coordinate communications with its stakeholders. She also conducts presentations of the project to various stakeholders and manages stakeholder outreach activities. |
| Project Manager, China IP SME Helpdesk |