What is the Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs

If you are a beginner in the international trading world, you might be aware that it lets you build global connections. Apart from that, exporting also plays an essential role in shaping a nation’s economy.   

Like other businesses, importing and exporting also involve promotion and support that empower the global journey of an organization. You may surprised to know that the Indian Government also empowers the promotion of exporting businesses through the Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs (EPCES). 

If you are just beginning your international trading journey, you should first understand what is export promotion council for EOUs and SEZs. Are you wondering where you could learn about this? If so, you should spend some time here. 

Here, we are going to explore everything about the Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs. We will initially discuss the basics of EOUs and SEZs. Later,  you will learn about how the Export Promotion Council will empower both. 

Before we proceed to our main point what is Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs, we should learn the basics about EOUs and SEZs to have a clear overview of these terms. 

Export-oriented units (EOUs) are units undertaken with the intent of exporting the complete production of goods. It can engage in manufacturing, services, development of software, repairing, remaking, and other types of production. 

On the other hand, Special economic zones (SEZs) are areas in the nation subject to different jurisdictions or regulations than other regions in the same country. The regulations of these areas are developed with the aim of attracting international investment in the country. 

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Government of India) develops the Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs (EPCES) to boost the export promotional requirements of EOUs and SEZs in the nation. 

The Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs (EPCES) exclusively focuses on promoting products and exports. It is the only EPC that handles different industries, including jewellery, pharma, electric, agro products, and more.  Moreover, it is also the scheme-specific EPC. 

In recent years, the EPCES has tried to boost consultation between different stakeholders to facilitate significant competitiveness in the EOUs and SEZs sector. 

The EPCES focuses on improving the ability of organizations in EOUs and SEZs to compete effectively in international markets. Apart from that, the following are the other goals of this council:

• It aims to promote exports from India and generate more foreign exchange for the nation. 
• It also goals to empower the interaction between the EOUs/SEZs community as well as other stakeholders, like the state and central government of the country. 
• The council also focuses on providing you with the benefit of the Market Access Initiative (MAI) Scheme that the Government of India launched to assist your export market development efforts. 
• The EPCES is also working with other export promotion councils in India and abroad to create an environment that supports your business growth. 

As per the official website of EPCES, it is representative of more than 7000 businesses in India, which hold 34 percent of the overall country’s exports. The following are the top activities that this council performs:

• The Market Access Initiative (MAI) Scheme offers financial aid to EOUs/SEZ units to help them expand their export activities globally. 
• The EPCES also participates in trade fairs and exhibitions in India and other countries throughout the world. 
• Organize seminars, open houses, and workshops under different states of a nation to resolve the issues related to EOUs & SEZs. Here, this council also gathers recommendations for policy-making by the Government.
• Highlight problems affecting EOUs and SEZs in many ministries like Finance, Commerce, RBI, State government, and more. 
• Informs members about the most recent updates and developments in the national and international trade world. 
• Organize meetings of buyers and sellers with EOUs and SEZs for the promotion of exports. 
• Brings out the book publication for use within India and other countries. 
• Arranges trade delegations abroad for export promotion. 
• Performs deep studies on many subjects, like the service sector, GST, EOUs, SEZs, and more. 
• EPCES also published important news that covers the issues and problems related to the EOUs and SEZs. 

Indeed, the EPCES provides numerous benefits for exporters. However, you must obtain the Registration-cum-membership-certification (RCMC) to enjoy all the benefits and exemptions. Let’s explore the essential steps to register for this membership:

• Initially, you should visit the DGFT website and create your account. 
• Next, you should apply for RCMC. 
• In the next window, you should upload all required documents. 
• As a last step, send an email to both email IDs, including membership@epces.in and accounts@epces.in after paying to make sure that the payment may be restored. 

The Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs (EPCES) is a council that aims to promote products and exports in India. It brings many stakeholders and export businesses under one roof. Apart from that, it has several goals and performs countless activities to boost the export sector. However, you need to obtain RCMC membership to be a part of this council.