Policy, Service and Support Institutes to Facilitate Exports

Introduction

I . With a view to securing active co-operation of producers and exporters in the drive for export promotion Govt. of India has sponsored number of export promotion councils /boards as non profit organisations under the Company's Act and there are about 30 such councils / boards for various commodities with branches and regional offices throughout the country.

All exporters of products coming under the council are entitled to become the members of the council if they wish to claim export incentives and assistance provided by the council as per government's policy. The Govt.. provides grants under various heads for the councils.

Members are charged an annual subscription fee for the services rendered and they elect working committee chairman and other office bearers. The central government appoints senior officials to act on working committee and guides its deliberations.

1. Functions and role of EPC's ( Export Promotion Councils )

1.  To appraise Govt. on export growth, necessary data and of exporters problems in general trade and advise Govt.. to remove such difficulties and resolve trade disputes.

2.  To arrange in an organised manner delegates to go abroad to promote exports of specific products or group of products and circulate the reports of visits to its members to help their exports

3.  To establish contacts with overseas buyers, project associates, locate, right suppliers and buyers and circulate the trade enquiries among members.

4.  To conduct market surveys, researches and publish the results through its bulletins and publications in different markets

5.  To provide credibility reports on suppliers' status, technical competence and help in tie-ups

6.  To offer valuable advice on finance, banking, insurance, joint ventures, customs formalities etc.

7.  To arrange buyers-sellers meet, supply of indigenous and imported raw materials and help in shipping and transport problems.

8.  To chalk out plans for display or advertising of member's products in overseas markets

9.  To seek foreign offices of EPC's help to exporters in consolidating the existing exports and diversifying into new products by opening new offices and explore export potentials and liaise with industry, trade, Govt. and trade bodies.

10.               To render all assistance in exports finance.

Other various service and support institutes to facilitate exports:

Govt. of India has also created various other services and support institutes to facilitate the task of promoting exports through export finance, market research, export credit insurance, resource personnel for exports, publicity, packaging, quality control, transport, etc.

2. Commodity Boards

These are organisations set up for the development of certain commodities for export and deal with all problems of production, development and marketing of the commodities concerned.

Objectives and Functions

1. To advice the Govt. on policy matters such as fixing quotas for exports, signing

trade agreements, etc.

2. To undertake promotional activities such as participation in exhibitions and trade fairs, opening foreign officers, conduct market surveys and sponsoring trade delegations, etc.

3. Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC)

This has been established in 1964 with head office in Mumbai and controlled by ministry of commerce government of India.( Please refer Vol. Export Import Finance).

4. Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT)

India needed trained and skilled personnel for the development of export trade and IIFT was set up in 1963 as an autonomous body registered under Societies Regulation Act.

Main functions of IIFT

1.  To train personnel at various levels for export trade

2.  To collect data and documents an all aspects of export trade

3.  To ascertain characteristics of foreign markets and consumer preferences

4.  To determine scope and techniques to be adopted for increased export trade

5.  To provide consultancy service to companies in matters relating to exports

6.  To house library with periodicals from UNO/FATT/UNCTAD etc.

7.  To publish trade bulletins, trade reviews, journals etc. and disseminate information concerning exports and export activities.

5. India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO)

It is a nodal agency of Indian Govt.. to provide a wide spectrum of services to export trade and industry and act as catalyst for growth of India's export trade.

Activities of ITPO

1.  Identifies and nurtures specific export products with long range growth prospects

2.  Organises various trade fairs and exhibitions in India and potential foreign countries

3.  Cultivates overseas buyers and establishes durable contacts between, Indian suppliers and overseas buyers

4.  Organises buyers sellers meets seminars conferences, workshops with a view to bring buyers and sellers together

5.  Organises India promotions with Department stores and order Houses abroad

6.  Conducts in house and need based research on export trade and promotion

7.  Manages the extensive trade five complete pragati maidan Delhi and establishes such fair facilities in various states to promote exports from India

8.  Overseas offices of ITPO pursues investment opportunities besides activities aimed at promoting India's exports.

9.  Enlists the involvement and support of the state governments in India for promotion of foreign trade.

6. Export Inspection council (EIC)

With the objective of exporting Indian goods of good quality with international standards and for lending any dense in overseas buyers the government of India passed export quality control and inspection Act 1963 (Please refer Export Finance Chapter VII and page 47)

Objectives and Activities of (EIC)

1.  Consults trade and industry, conducts detailed discussions, studies of buyers exacting needs and formulate standards for pre-shipment inspection.

2.  Comes out with various schemes of quality control, pre-shipment inspection and self-certificate schemes

3.  Establishes laboratories and test houses for export products

4.  Recommends to Govt.. of India the commodities for quality control ,and inspection type and organises to conduct the same.

7. Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP)

Govt. of India in collaboration with the industry has set up IIP in 1966 with Mumbai as its headquarters to match the packaging standards of export goods with that of international standards and sophistication

Aims and functions of IIP

1.  To stimulate consciousness for good packaging

2.  To undertake research on raw materials to be used for packaging

3.  To have full information on latest developments in packaging

4.  To organise training programmes for personnel of packaging and packing

technology

8. Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA)

Govt. of India has set up in 1965 ICA as Apex arbitration body to solve disputes between exporters and importers.

Objective and Functions

1.  To promote and encourage amicable settlement of foreign trade disputes

2.  To arrange for amicable settlement of disputes through its constituent members

3.  To prepare and maintain panel of arbitrators

4.  To propagate and popularize the idea of Arbitration

5.  To collaborate with international organisations

9. Directorate General of Shipping

Directorate General of shipping was set up in 1949 with headquarters at Mumbai.

Objective and Functions

1.  To deal with all matters relating to merchant shipping like navigation and administration of merchant shipping etc.

2.  To develop Indian shipping

3.  To regulate ocean freight rates in export trade.

10. All India Shipper's Council

The Apex body titled All India shippers council was set up in Delhi with five regional shippers organisation like Easter, Western, Southern, Northern and South Western Shippers council to provide periods consultation with all parties concerned on matters of common interest such as freight structure, conference practices, conference lines like availability of shipping space, port facilities port charges etc. for export import cargoes.

11. Department of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics

This body was established with its head office at Kolkata

Functions

1.  Responsible for commercial intelligence collection, compilation and publication of statistics of trade, tariff and shipping

2.  Maintains commercial library in Kolkata on trade disputes.

12. Central Advisory Council on Trade

Apart from the above there are consultative bodies such as central advisory council on trade and zonal export import advisory committees have been created to discuss various problems relating to export and import and suggest ways and means for promoting exports trade. On the deliberations of such organizations the Govt.. of India, frames and formulates its export and import promotion policies and successful implementation of export schemes.

This was set up in 1978 by merging Board of trade and advisory council on trade headed by Union Minister of Commerce. This consists of 28 members from Reserve Bank of India, Exim Bank, Federation of Indian Exports Organisation Member of parliaments and industrialists and hold office for two years.

Functions

1.  To advise Govt. an export import policies and programmes and operations of the same.

2.  To organise export production

3.  To organise and develop commercial services

13. Zonal Export Import Advisory Committees

These are set up as follows in four zones namely Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Zonal Export Import advisory committees Functions of the Zonal export import advisory committees are

1.  To consider difficulties and suggest measures in relations to the operation of export import policies and procedures, programs and disbursement of cash assistance.

2.  To consider difficulties and suggest measures in matters relating to customs clearance, shipping, credit insurance and export inspection.