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Founded by Bank of China (Luxembourg) S.A., China Three Gorges (Europe) S.A. and COSCO Shipping (Europe) GmbH in August 2018, the Brussels-based China Chamber of Commerce to the EU acts as a bridge-builder that mainly helps Chinese enterprises in Europe chart the way for increased China-EU economic interaction. It represents up to 80 members and chambers in EU member states, covering about 1,000 Chinese enterprises.
As a platform between China and the EU, it strives to serve the best interests of enterprises investing in the EU, reflect their opinions, suggestions and concerns to European institutions or member states, and explore ways to enhance the image of Chinese businesses in the multicultural continent. The overarching aim is to contribute to common prosperity while respecting the diversity in the EU.
Since its establishment, the CCCEU has been actively supported by all parties and its influence has been continuously rising. China's Policy Paper on the European Union issued on December 18, 2018 said the Chinese government supports Chinese companies in Europe in setting up the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU. On April 8, 2019, Premier Li Keqiang inaugurated the chamber and expressed the hope that the CCCEU creates a "golden name-card" by serving Chinese enterprises in the EU well, be a bridge of communication by listening to the voices of both the Chinese and European sides, and help create a good image for Chinese enterprises.
On May 18, 2020, the CCCEU held its first members' plenary and Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union, lauded the rapid development of the CCCEU in the previous year, saying it exceeded his expectations.
On August 20, the CCCEU, the Joint Conference of Chinese Overseas Chambers of Commerce (JCCOCC）and the Development Research Center of the State Council jointly hosted a Seminar on High Quality Development of Chinese Overseas Chambers of Commerce. On October 14, Peking University, Bank of China and the CCCEU signed a cooperation framework agreement and jointly set up the Research Centre for EU Economy and Strategy.
In 2020, the world was hit by COVID-19. Since the beginning of the year, the CCCEU has worked with its members to fight against pandemic and continue to cultivate the EU market. At the same time, it actively fulfilled its corporate social responsibility, joined hands with European friends in the battle, and provided timely assistance to hardest-hit areas, which included Wuhan in China, Italy, Greece, France and Spain. Former Italian prime minister and president of the European Commission Romano Prodi sent a thank-you letter to the CCCEU Secretariat, which said: "Your donation is a signal of friendship and solidarity that we will never forget. I do hope that the world will understand that we are really in the same boat."
The CCCEU is strengthening research and policy advocacy to represent the interests of its members, respond to EU institutions, put forward policy suggestions, and make the voice of Chinese enterprises heard to improve their business environment. In August 2020, the CCCEU completed transparency registration with EU institutions. In September 2020, the CCCEU established a digital economy working group.
Following the release of the first flagship Report on the Development of Chinese Enterprises in the EU (2019) in Brussels last October, the CCCEU once again joined hands with Roland Berger and launched the 2020 Recommendation Report, Acting for Common Future, in Brussels on September 10, 2020. The office of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote to the CCCEU, saying it pays attention to the recommendations made in the report. On September 24, the CCCEU formally submitted its feedback to the European Commission's public consultation on the white paper on foreign subsidies, which attracted the attention of global mainstream media such as Reuters, Bloomberg and Xinhua news agency. The CCCEU also issued a position paper on the discriminatory policies of some EU member states on the issue of building 5G networks.
The CCCEU attaches great importance to agenda setting and communication. It set up China-Europe Business Dialogue and other communication platforms to discuss topics such as the digital economy, climate change, the investment agreement, the white paper on EU subsidies, and prospects for China-EU economic and trade relations. It has won strong support from European political figures such as former president of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, former president of the European Commission and former prime minister of Italy Romano Prodi and Vice-President of the European Parliament Dimitrios Papadimoulis, as well as from the World Economic Forum, the Europe-China Forum and other institutions as well as Chinese and European enterprises.
Focusing on pressing topics such as China-EU economic and trade relations, and the actual needs of its members in a multi-media era, the CCCEU has launched high-quality Chinese and English communication channels, including Weekly Update, Policy Briefing, Policy Focus and Members Update, which are released on different platforms. The CCCEU has established a CCCEU official social media matrix, covering platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and CCCEU's WeChat official account. They have attracted close attention from European institutions and many local European friends. The CCCEU is upgrading the website www.ccceu.eu to live up to international standards and have strong visual impact.
The CCCEU is not only the home of Chinese enterprises, but also their platform for opportunities. Swift response is the service culture of the CCCEU secretariat. We look forward to the joining and integration of more Chinese enterprises in the CCCEU, and will wholeheartedly provide exemplary service. The CCCEU provides members with information, creates opportunities to contact Chinese, EU and member states' governments, chambers of commerce, enterprises, think tanks, international institutions and the media, and a platform for Chinese enterprises to expand their business and reflect their concerns.
We also help Chinese enterprises establish a good corporate citizen image on the CCCEU' multi-media communication platforms. Members will receive information products such as Weekly Update, Policy Briefing and the Annual Flagship Report, and will be invited to participate in seminars and business meetings organized by the CCCEU and partners. The CCCEU will actively promote participation in bilateral and multilateral economic and trade activities led by government and international institutions.
Today, China's economy is transitioning from rapid growth to high-quality development, and forming a "dual circulation" development pattern in which the domestic economic cycle plays a leading role while the international economic cycle remains its extension and supplement. Meanwhile, the EU is propelling an economic modernization course led by green and digital growth.
In 2020, President Xi Jinping twice attended China-EU leaders' meetings via video conference, and the success of the 22nd China-EU summit has injected strong political impetus to the development of China-EU relations. Both sides have decided to establish a China-EU High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue, and a China-EU High Level Digital Cooperation Dialogue, as well as forge green and digital partnerships, which enriches practical cooperation. The breakthrough of negotiations on the China-EU Bilateral Investment Treaty, and the official signing of the China-EU agreement on geographical indication (GI) will create more opportunities for economic and trade cooperation to upgrade.
The CCCEU will constantly optimize working mechanisms, strengthen capacity building and enhance service levels. We will work with an emphasis on the China-EU economic and trade agenda and concerns of our members, and communicate with all stakeholders to resolve problems and discover opportunities. Let us jointly build the CCCEU, a communication-led and think-tank-driven business platform, which always put members at the centre.
For more information, please contact us. Email: info@ccceu.eu
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