Brussels, 08/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - In Beijing on 8 November, at a ceremony attended by Chinese officials, Industry Commissioner Antonio Tajani officially opened the Centre for European Union Small and Medium Enterprises in China. This portal, which is funded by the European Union, aims to help European SMEs to overcome the problems they face when operating on the Chinese market, particularly during the initial phases of commercial development. SMEs may turn to the centre for information on various questions, ranging from the procedure to register a company in China to the certification of technical standards, via employment contracts when recruiting local personnel. Made up of a consortium of the French, German, Italian, Spanish and Benelux Chambers of Commerce in Beijing, the Chamber of Commerce of the EU to China and the Eurochambers Association, and managed by the China-Britain Business Council, the Centre for SMEs in China will be fully operational in January 2011. This action comes as part of the Enterprise Europe Network. With 589 partner organisations covering 47 countries, including all 27 member states of the EU, the candidate countries plus the United States, Mexico and Russia network is a unique innovative intermediary to help SMEs to develop internationally. (E.H./transl.fl)