LinkedIn segreteria@gruppogm.eu +39 06 83 77 36 64 +39 339 877 0967
Representative office · Shanghai

Europe and China:
regulation, sustainability and market access in both directions

From our representative office in Shanghai we help Chinese companies comply with European regulation and do business in Italy, and Italian and European businesses operate in China. Sustainability and ESG, product compliance, legal and commercial matters: a single point of contact between Rome and Shanghai.

Talk to the China desk Message us on WhatsApp EU–China practical guides

Italiano · English · 中文 — We work in Italian, English and Chinese

ROMA SHANGHAI 上海
The desk at a glance
2
connected offices
Rome · Shanghai
2
directions
China → Europe · Europe → China
44
regulations monitored
EU, Italy and China, with deadlines
3
working languages
Italian · English · 中文
Two directions

A bridge that works both ways

🇨🇳China → Europe🇪🇺

Chinese companies exporting to, investing in or bidding for tenders in Europe

The European market increasingly demands data and documentation: embedded emissions, compliant packaging, traceable supply chains, ESG information for customers. We help you understand which rules apply to your products and get ready ahead of the deadlines.

  • CBAM: calculation and verification of embedded emissions for steel, aluminium, cement and fertilisers
  • Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), batteries, ecodesign and the Digital Product Passport
  • EUDR, forced labour and the due diligence required by European customers
  • ESG data and CSRD / VSME questionnaires for the value chain
  • Markings, ISO certifications and technical documentation
  • Company formation in Italy, partners, distributors and public tenders
🇪🇺Europe → China🇨🇳

Italian and European businesses looking to sell, manufacture or source in China

China has its own rules, standards and business practices. From Shanghai we support you from the choice of partners to product compliance, through to the ESG requests that increasingly come from Chinese customers too.

  • Market analysis, entry strategy and sales channels
  • Scouting and vetting of partners, suppliers and distributors
  • GB standards, mandatory CCC certification, labelling and packaging
  • Sustainability reporting required by Chinese stock exchanges and customers
  • Contracts, trademark protection and legal matters, with licensed partner professionals
  • Trade fairs, missions, B2B meetings and on-site support
What we do

The services of the China desk

Sustainability and ESG

Environmental and social data collection, ESG reports, product and organisational carbon footprints, responses to questionnaires from European and Chinese customers.

Carbon and CBAM

Calculation of embedded emissions using the EU methodology, collection of installation data and preparation for verification, coordination with the European importer.

Product compliance

Packaging (PPWR), batteries, ecodesign, substances, CE marking and technical documentation for placing products on the European market; GB standards and CCC for China.

Supply chain and due diligence

EUDR geolocation and due diligence, forced labour checks, codes of conduct and supplier audits required by major customers.

Legal and contractual advice

Supply, distribution and agency agreements, trademark protection, choice of corporate structure, in collaboration with partner lawyers and accountants in Italy and China.

Commercial consulting

Market analysis, positioning, scouting and selection of partners, distributors and suppliers, support through negotiations and first sales.

Companies and investment in Italy

Company formation, registered office, tax and employment compliance, authorisations and foreign investment screening in strategic sectors.

Tenders, certifications and incentives

Participation in public tenders in Italy, ISO and sector certifications, subsidised finance for productive investment and the green transition.

EU–China practical guides

Answers to the questions we are asked most often

Practical guides written by our team in Rome and Shanghai: what the rule requires, who it applies to, the deadlines and the steps to take.

🇨🇳 → 🇪🇺 China → Europe CBAM for Chinese manufacturers and exporters: what you need from 2026 CBAM guide for Chinese steel, aluminium, cement and fertiliser producers: embedded emissions, data for EU importers, verification and 2026–2027 deadlines. 3 min read · Read the guide → 🇨🇳 → 🇪🇺 China → Europe How a Chinese company can set up a company in Italy: practical guide How a Chinese company can set up an S.r.l., branch or representative office in Italy: documents, Apostille, tax code, golden power, tax and staff. 3 min read · Read the guide → 🇨🇳 → 🇪🇺 China → Europe PPWR packaging regulation: what Chinese exporters need to do EU Packaging Regulation 2025/40 for exporters from China: roles, PFAS, heavy metals, declaration of conformity, EPR representative, 2028 labels, 2030 rules. 3 min read · Read the guide → 🇨🇳 → 🇪🇺 China → Europe EUDR, forced labour and batteries: EU rules for the Chinese supply chain EUDR, the Forced Labour Regulation and the Batteries Regulation shift responsibility upstream: what EU customers will ask of Chinese suppliers. 3 min read · Read the guide → 🇨🇳 → 🇪🇺 China → Europe Public tenders in Italy for Chinese companies: requirements, FSR and IPI How Chinese companies can bid in Italian public tenders: Public Contracts Code, qualification, Kolin judgment, FSR above €250 million, IPI, joint bids. 3 min read · Read the guide → 🇪🇺 → 🇨🇳 Europe → China How to enter the Chinese market: a guide for Italian companies How Italian companies can sell or produce in China: entry options, trademark registration, CCC certification, GB standards, labels and GACC registration. 3 min read · Read the guide →
The rules that matter

Key regulations between Europe and China

The European rules with the greatest impact on exporters from China, the rules for non-EU companies in public tenders and the Chinese ESG and climate framework, each with its next deadline.

See all regulations →
Phased application CBAM — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Next milestone: 1 Feb 2027 · Sale of CBAM certificates begins → Phased application PPWR — Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation Next milestone: 12 Feb 2028 · HORECA takeaway: obligation to offer customers a reusable alternative → Postponed EUDR — EU Deforestation Regulation Next milestone: 30 Dec 2026 · Application for large and medium-sized companies → Phased application Batteries Regulation Next milestone: 18 Feb 2027 · Battery passport for industrial, EV and LMT batteries; removable and replaceable portable batteries; QR code → Phased application ESPR — Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and Digital Product Passport Next milestone: 2027 · First delegated acts with requirements for textiles and steel (expected) → Forthcoming Regulation prohibiting products made with forced labour Next milestone: 14 Dec 2027 · Application of the ban → Postponed CSDDD — Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive Next milestone: 26 Jul 2028 · Transposition deadline for Member States → In force FSR — Foreign Subsidies Regulation (foreign subsidies distorting the internal market) → In force IPI — International Procurement Instrument → Phased application China: sustainability reporting by listed companies and national standards Next milestone: 2030 · Target: unified national system of disclosure standards → Phased application China's national emissions trading market and "dual carbon" goals Next milestone: 2030 · Target: CO₂ emissions peak before 2030 →
How we work

From first contact to compliance

  1. 01

    First meeting

    In Shanghai, in Rome or by video call, in Italian, English or Chinese. We get to know your products, markets and goals.

  2. 02

    Assessment

    We map the applicable rules, deadlines and missing data, with a prioritised plan.

  3. 03

    Action plan

    Documents, data, partners, contracts and timelines: a single roadmap coordinated between our two offices.

  4. 04

    Ongoing support

    We follow implementation and regulatory updates, with a dedicated contact in China and one in Italy.

Representative office

Shanghai 上海

Gruppo GM's direct point of contact in China, connected to our Rome headquarters for everything concerning Italy and the European Union.

  • AddressShanghai, P.R. China · Full address and appointments on request
  • Emailsegreteria@gruppogm.eu
  • WhatsApp+39 339 877 0967
  • Local hours (JST)Monday – Friday: 9:00 – 18:00 (Beijing time)
上海 Shanghai · Representative office UTC+8 · We work in Italian, English and Chinese Locations →
Frequently asked questions

Working between Europe and China

It is Gruppo GM's direct point of contact in China. It supports Chinese companies that export to, invest in or bid for tenders in Europe, helping them comply with European rules on carbon, packaging, products, supply chains and ESG, as well as Italian and European businesses looking to operate in China. It coordinates with our Rome office on Italian and European matters.

Yes. Since 2026 CBAM has been in its definitive phase: European importers of steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers and hydrogen are asking producers for verified data on embedded emissions. We help Chinese installations calculate them using the EU methodology, prepare the documentation for verification and coordinate with the importer, ahead of the first annual declaration due on 31 August 2027.

It depends on the product. The main ones are CBAM for carbon-intensive materials, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, applicable from 12 August 2026), the Batteries Regulation, ecodesign with the Digital Product Passport, the EUDR for wood, rubber, soya and other commodities, the ban on products made with forced labour (from December 2027) and the ESG data requests of customers subject to the CSRD and CSDDD.

Yes, provided it meets the requirements of the Italian Public Contracts Code. However, account must be taken of the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), which requires foreign financial contributions to be notified in tenders worth €250 million or more, and of the International Procurement Instrument (IPI), already applied to medical devices. Our tender office handles the preparation of the bid and supporting documentation.

In 2024 the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing stock exchanges published sustainability reporting guidelines, mandatory for major listed companies, with the first reports covering financial year 2025; the Ministry of Finance is building national disclosure standards, and the national carbon market has been extended to steel, cement and aluminium. For Italian suppliers this means receiving more and more ESG data requests from Chinese customers too.

We work in Italian, English and Chinese. We start with a free initial meeting, in Shanghai, in Rome or by video call, in which we identify the applicable rules, deadlines and priorities. You can reach us by email or WhatsApp.

China Desk

Doing business with China or from China into Europe?

Tell us about your products and markets: in a free initial meeting we will tell you which rules apply, by when, and where to start.

Send us an email Message us on WhatsApp

Quick contacts

Emailsegreteria@gruppogm.eu Roma+39 06 83 77 36 64 Mobile+39 339 877 0967 WhatsApp+39 339 877 0967 Tokyo+81 343 605 000
Message us on WhatsApp