The China-CEEC SME Coordination Mechanism (formerly 17+1) is based within the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Croatia. It closely cooperates with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, as well as other relevant ministries, governmental agencies and bodies as needed.
The main purpose of the Mechanism is to promote economic cooperation and encourage investment among member countries of the China-CEEC Cooperation. SMEs play a vital role in the economic and social development of these countries, and the Mechanism exists to help them obtain more practical benefits from this cooperation — driving mutually beneficial outcomes across the region.
As the focal point for SMEs within China-CEEC cooperation, the Mechanism promotes collaboration among SMEs from all CEEC countries and supports their participation in exhibitions, economic and trade activities, delegation visits, training projects, forums, and International SME Fairs.
The Mechanism’s official website serves as a bridge connecting SMEs across CEEC countries, providing an overview of relevant SME policies and developments in each member country. It facilitates cooperation contacts, database exchange, and a contact network between institutions, organizations and SMEs, supporting business contacts, information exchange, and other matters of common interest.
Founded in 2012, the 16+1 cooperation between sixteen Central and Eastern European Countries and China began as a Chinese government initiative to promote business and investment relations within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. It was formally established in Warsaw, Poland, with the adoption of China’s Twelve Measures for Promoting Friendly Cooperation with Central and Eastern European Countries. The 16+1 countries committed to deeper cooperation in investments, transport, finance, science, education and culture. The Secretariat is based within China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The 16+1 comprised: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the People’s Republic of China.
The 6th CEEC-China Summit, held in Budapest in 2017, marked the fifth anniversary of the cooperation and highlighted significant achievements across politics, economy and trade, transport and logistics, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges. The Budapest Guidelines, adopted at this Summit under the theme “Deepening Economic, Trade and Financial Cooperation for Win-Win Developments,” outlined future directions for 16+1 cooperation and encouraged SMEs to enhance collaboration. In this context, Croatia announced it would establish the SME Coordination Mechanism, as provided for in the Budapest Guidelines.
At the 7th Summit in Sofia in 2018, it was decided that Croatia would host the following year’s Summit — confirmed in the Sofia Guidelines. At the 8th Summit, held in Croatia in 2019, Greece joined the cooperation framework, expanding it from 16+1 to 17+1. The framework has since been rebranded as China-CEEC.
For more information about the China-CEEC SME Coordination Mechanism:
Ministry of Economy
medjunarodni.poslovi@mingo.hr
