Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) are organizations of exporters, set up with the objective to promote and develop Indian exports. Each Council is responsible for promotion of a particular group of products/ projects/ services. Department of Commerce, as also the other administrative Departments like Ministry of Textiles, Department of Telecom etc. regularly interact with the Councils to support their activities for promoting exports.Representatives of the Government of India are nominated in the Management Committee of such Councils so that the sector-wise challenges faced by the EPCs are assessed and performance of the Councils are taken stock of by such representatives. Joint meetings are also held with the Councils to understand the larger areas of concerns affecting exports.This is an on-going exercise. There are various provisions under the Schemes like Market Access Initiative and Marketing Development Assistance through which such EPCs can avail funds to promote exports. To strengthen the functioning of the Councils and in order to make the EPCs truly democratic and participative in nature and for good governance and transparency, the Department has issued fresh guidelines in 2015for elections for various posts of the Councils, keeping in view the spirit of para 2.92 of the Handbook of Procedures of Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20.

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

Governance of export promotion councils strengthened by new election guidelines to enhance transparency and participative management. Export Promotion Councils are sectoral exporter bodies supported through regular engagement with administrative departments and government nominees on management committees; they can access funds under the Market Access Initiative and Marketing Development Assistance. The Department issued 2015 election guidelines to enhance democratic participation, good governance and transparency in Council functioning, aligned with the spirit of para 2.92 of the Handbook of Procedures of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20.