Xinhua Agency, Brussels, December 9 (Reporters Zhang Zhaoqing and Li Jizhi) The 2024 - 2025 flagship report jointly released by the European Union China Chamber of Commerce and consulting firm Roland Berger on the 9th believes that "uncertainty" has become the key word for the operations of China companies in Europe. Chinese companies generally believe that the impact of pan-politicization on the business sector cannot be underestimated and look forward to the EU creating a fair, just and predictable market environment for Chinese companies in Europe.

The report pointed out that Chinese companies 'ratings on the EU's business environment have declined for five consecutive years. 68% of the companies surveyed believe that the overall business environment in the EU has deteriorated in the past year; more than half of the companies surveyed report that the EU market is no longer "fair and open", and companies generally express concerns about uncertainty.

In addition, various political-related factors and the resulting market barriers, high labor costs, complex global political landscape, unstable EU and member states 'policies towards China, and changes in the EU's own political trends have become the five major challenges that Chinese companies believe to face when operating in Europe.

The report said that although China and the EU have certain differences in the economic and trade field, the overall feedback from European and Chinese companies is stable and they still have confidence in the European market for rapid development. 66% of the Chinese companies surveyed believe that the strategic position of the EU market within their companies will increase in the next 1 to 3 years; more than 40% of the companies surveyed plan to expand their employees in Europe, and about 30% expect to expand their business in Europe. Increase branch budgets or open new offices, etc.

The report pointed out that Chinese companies remain optimistic about the medium-and long-term economic and trade prospects between China and Europe, and China-EU cooperation in the green field has broad development space. More than half of the companies surveyed believe that China-EU cooperation will help the EU accelerate digital transformation, explore cutting-edge applications such as artificial intelligence, and form a closer complementary relationship in the industrial chain.

Dennis Depp (Chinese name: Dai Pu), co-president of the Roland Berger Global Management Committee, said that in the current context of geopolitical tensions, the EU and China are very important to each other, and the need for both sides to work together to solve or alleviate problems and move forward has become increasingly prominent.

Liu Jiandong, president of the European Union's China Chamber of Commerce, said that China and the EU are important trading partners of each other, and the average daily trade volume between the two sides since 2024 has exceeded 2 billion euros. While Chinese companies contribute tax revenue, investment and jobs to the EU, they also play a positive role in the EU's industrial upgrading, innovation and sustainable development. Chinese companies are willing to join hands with European partners to inject new vitality and impetus into the long-term development of China-EU relations.

The EU China Chamber of Commerce was registered in Brussels in 2018 to promote China's economic and trade activities with Europe and strive for a better business environment for Chinese companies in Europe.