(Hong Kong, 16 December 2008)
The European Commission has awarded the contract for establishing the European Union Business Information Programme (EUBIP) for Hong Kong and Macao to a consortium formed by the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), and the Institute of European Studies of Macau (IEEM). The signature ceremony was held at the Office of the European Commission in Hong Kong and Macao.
This programme will serve as a vehicle to promote a better understanding between the European Union, Hong Kong and Macao and provide up-to-date information on EU policies, regulations and institutions to a wide range of audiences including businesses, policy makers, regulators, and industry as well as service providers. EUBIP will also play an important part in realising the objectives of the European Commission's Communication on "The EU, Hong Kong and Macao: possibilities for cooperation 2007-2013". The Communication is our guiding framework in moving relations forward by broadening cooperation in key policy areas. EUBIP's activities will focus on trade and investment, financial services, transport and logistics, health, food and product safety and the environment. It will also implement a programme of activities including seminars and conferences projecting EU policies and initiatives, particularly in relation to the bilateral economic policy agenda between the EU, Hong Kong and Macao.
EUBIP is a grant agreement which allows co-financing from the European Commission for an amount of up to €750,000, while the consortium members and other partner institutions will contribute additional funds for outreach and research activities. The programme will run for 36 months until 2011, with a possibility for extension. EUBIP is expected to be operational by early 2009.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Head of Office of the European Commission in Hong Kong and Macao, Mrs. Maria Castillo Fernandez, said: "Commercial and investment flows and economic links have rapidly developed over recent decades and the EU is now one of the top trade and investment partners of Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China. The EUBIP will facilitate regulatory and economic co-operation, dialogue and communication between Hong Kong, Macao and the EU in the coming years".
The Chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Rafael Gil-Tienda, said: "I am convinced that EUBIP will help Hong Kong and Macao to address matters of importance to their roles as financial, trading and professional centres in the Greater China and Asian regions. Matters like the environment, intellectual property, corporate governance and education will receive attention side by side with finance, investment and other core business fields".
