Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) are organizations of exporters, set up under the Societies Registration Act/ Companies Act, with the objective of promoting Indian exports. The councils are responsible for promotion of a particular group of products/ projects/services as given in Appendix 2T of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2015-2020. The list of 14 such EPCs affiliated to the Department of Commerce is at Annexure. Regular joint meetings with the councils to facilitate interactions with exporters and assess performance of the councils are held. The accounts of the councils are subject to mandatory audit. The review reports of performance of the councils are laid in the Parliament along with Annual Report each year.

Annexure

LIST OF EXPORT PROMOTION COUNCILS AFFILIATED TO DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

1. Basic Chemicals, Cosmetics & Dyes Export Promotion Council (Chemexcil), Mumbai
2. Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI), Kollam, Kerala
3. Chemical and Allied Products Export Promotion Council (Capexil), Kolkata
4. Council for Leather Exports (CLE), Chennai
5. EEPC India, Kolkata
6. Export Promotion Council for EoUs and SEZs (EPCES), New Delhi
7. Gem &Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), Mumbai
8. Indian Oilseeds & Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC), Mumbai
9. Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil), Hyderabad
10. Plastics Export Promotion Council (Plexconcil), Mumbai
11. Project Export Promotion Council (PEPC), New Delhi
12. Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), New Delhi
13. Shellac & Forest Products Export Promotion Council (Shefexil), Kolkata
14. Sports Goods Export Promotion Council (SGEPC), New Delhi

This information was given by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

Export Promotion Councils framework requires sectoral councils to promote exports, undergo mandatory audits and parliamentary review. Export Promotion Councils are sectoral exporter bodies constituted under the Societies Registration Act or Companies Act to promote exports for specified product or service groups; they must facilitate exporter engagement, undergo mandatory audit, and have performance review reports placed before Parliament alongside the Departmental Annual Report; fourteen affiliated councils are listed by the Department of Commerce.