Export Promotion Councils are authorities started by the government that promotes and helps export firms in growing their overseas trade and existence by supplying them technical and industry insights. Also, the EPC promotes government schemes, acting as a data store and carry out overseas tours and studies. The EPCs act as a mediator among the government and the export-related industry and are important in making the foreign policies. They are registered as non-profit organizations which deal with both executives as well as advisory functions. EPCs are necessary for the country’s image overseas as a council of trustworthy suppliers of best-quality goods and services. They encourage and look after the compliance of international standards by exporters. Specific product has its own Export Promotion Council. Therefore, the promoter should get registered under a certain EPC as per their related line of product.
The Export Promotion Councils came into existence with the objectives of providing data, which is required for exporters in maximizing their exports, they are required to make the exporters known of the Government Schemes and other benefits. EPCs gather export and import information of their members, and other data which is necessary to International Trade to build a statistical base to compare industry growth. They also organize Trade Delegations to find new instances of exporting products in other countries with advice to their members related to Technology, quality control, standards, and specifications etc. They look after Trade Fairs, Exhibitions, Seminars, Meets between buyers and sellers to promote business, etc. Therefore, EPCs are sought after for the promotion of talks between the Export business community and the Government.
Benefits
When availed a membership of the specific EPC, the member is offered a Registration cum Membership Certificate (RCMC) of the EPC. This enables the exporter to avail export-import benefits or offers and concessions in Foreign Trade Policy along with meeting interested buyers by their participation in events conducted by EPCs. They also stay up to date about the latest trends in the respective industry through the informational events and activities conducted by EPCs for its members.
Registration Cum Membership Certificate (RCMC)
The Registration Cum Membership Certificate (RCMC) is a document for the exporter issued jointly by the Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) and concerned EPC. RCMC, therefore, is a membership certificate issued for a term of five years and states that the holder of the certificate is registered with FIEO or Commodity Board. Many of the popular EPCs are mentioned below with their links.
In order to be eligible for application, the applicant of the RCMC has to state their baseline of business while applying and having custody of an RCMC enables an exporter to avail all the benefits of the concerned organization.
In order to apply for the RCMC certificate, the exporter has to submit the filled application form ANF 2C, Click here for ANF 2C (https://content.dgft.gov.in/Website/ANF-2C_0.pdf) to the concerned EPC of their export product. Also, there are two categories of exporters - manufacturer and merchant. For registration as a manufacturing exporter, the exporter has to provide proof of their existing manufacturing facility.
Sectoral Export Promotion Councils
Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) which is the topmost body of all Export Promotion Councils (Export Promotion Organisations) in India includes various Export Promotion Councils like:
