Registration: Export Promotion Council (EPC)

Export promotion councils (EPC) are advisory bodies that actively contribute to the policies of Government of India and acts as an interface between the industry and the Government. EPC conduct a large number of promotional activities such as buyer-seller meets, trade fairs/exhibitions and information booths to promote Indian exports and provide overseas buyers with a mechanism to easily reach Indian exporters. In this article, we look at the procedure for registering with an Export Promotion Council.

Different Export Promotion Councils in India

There are various types of EPC, with each export promotion council – supporting a distinct industry or sector. The different EPC in India are:

Engineering Export Promotion Council
Project Exports Promotion Council of India
Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics Export Promotion Council
Chemicals and Allied Products Export Promotion Council
Council for Leather Exports
Sports Goods Export Promotion Council
Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council
Shellac & Forest ProductsExport Promotion Council
Cashew Export Promotion Council
Plastic Export Promotion Council
Export Promotion Council for EOU & SEZ Units
Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council
Apparel Export Promotion Council
Carpet Export Promotion Council
Cotton Textile Export Promotion Council
Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts
Handloom Export Promotion Council
Indian Silk Export Promotion Council
Powerloom Development & Export Promotion Council
Synthetic & Rayon Textile Export Promotion Council
Wool & Woolens Export Promotion Council

Reasons to Register with Export Promotion Council

Registration with an EPC is a must for availing various export import benefits or concessions under Foreign Trade Policy. Further, by being registered with the appropriate Export Promotion Council, the business will also have an opportunity to participate in fairs and meet prospective foreign buyers.

Registration cum Membership Certificate

An exporter can be registered with the EPC by making an application to become a member to the appropriate EPC. On being accepted, the exporter will be issued a registration cum membership certificate which would be valid for a period of five years.

Most EPC have two membership categories, associate member and ordinary member. Registration can be obtained by submitting the following documents:

Digital signature certificate would be required to apply for export promotion council membership.
Copy of Import-Export Code certificate.
A certificate from a Chartered Accountant, certifying the export turnover figure (FOB value in Rupees) during year before the preceding year.
List of Partners/Directors with residential address.
MSME registration certificate, if available.
Membership fee.

Membership Fee

The membership fee for joining EPC varies from council to council. However, the following table gives a good understanding of the membership fee structure: