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What is the Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs (EPCES)?

Export promotion councils for Export Oriented Units (EOUs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are set up to promote products and exports. Learn more in this blog.

Export Promotion Councils in India have been set up by the government to promote different product types and accelerate exports in respective industries. The Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs (EPCES) is the only EPC that is scheme-specific and handles a variety of important sectors like textiles, gems and jewellery, food and agro products, electronics, IT, pharma, engineering, plastic and rubber goods, among others. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced the establishment of EPCES in 2003¹.

Objective of EPCES

EPCES has been set up to improve the export competitiveness of organizations in Export Oriented Units (EOUs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Some of the key objectives of EPCES are:
· To increase exports from Indian EOUs and SEZs and drive foreign exchange for the country
· To improve the interaction between EOU/SEZ community and other stakeholders like the government – both at center and state level
· To ensure that EOU and SEZ organizations are benefiting from schemes launched by the Government of India
· To collaborate with other export promotion councils in India and other countries to provide a positive ecosystem for growth to its members

Roles and activities of EPCES

EPCES is the official representative of over 7000 organizations that are responsible for 34% share in Indian exports². Some of the roles and activities of EPCES are:
· Provide financial assistance to EOU/SEZ units with Market Access Initiative (MAI) scheme
· Organize workshops and seminars across the country to resolve issues faced by EOUs and SEZs
· Highlight issues faced by EOUs and SEZs in various ministries like finance, commerce, EBI, GST Councils, DGFT, CBEC, CBDT, state governments, etc.
· Participating in several important international and domestic trade fairs
· Keeping the members informed about latest developments in domestic and international markets
· Organizing buyer-seller meets and trade delegations to promote exports from EOUs and SEZs

Services offered by EPCES

Some of the services offered by EPCES are:
· Organizing seminars and workshops for its members to improve competitiveness.
· Organizing participation in domestic and international fairs with benefits of MAI scheme for its members.
· Working in close coordination with Indian embassies abroad to promote products and services from EOUs and SEZs.
· Keeping members informed about the latest notifications from the government by issuing circulars to all members.
· Coordinating with the central and state government and highlights issues being faced by EOUs and SEZs.
· Conducting EPCES Export Awards to recognize outstanding export performance each year.
· Publishing the EPCES newsletter to keep members informed of the changes in domestic and international markets.

List of products under EPCES

Some of the products under EPCES are:
• Engineering
• Leather goods
• Plastic and rubber goods
• Textiles
• Food and agro products
• Information Technology
• Pharmaceuticals and chemicals
• Electronics
• Garments
• Minerals, granites and other stones
• Gems and jewellery

Categories of EPCES membership

The categories of EPCES membership are divided by the council as per the turnover of the member.

EPCES membership eligibility criteria

The membership eligibility criteria of EPCES are driven by several government notifications in this regard. For instance, any SEZ unit, developer or EOU that has received approval from the concerned Development Commissioner or Board of Approval, the said unit is eligible to become a member of EPCES³.

For SEZ Units, Developers and Co-developers:

The Notification G.S.R.No.771 (E) states that the unit or developer including the co-developer shall get a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate. The RCMC can be used to get drawbacks and concessions along with exemptions.

For Export Oriented Units (EOUs):

Public Notice No. 27/2015-2020, New Delhi issued by DGFT clarifies that the EPCES is the registering authority for the EOUs.

Documents required for EPCES membership

Some of the documents required for EPCES membership are:
· Annual Performance Report (APR)
· Self-certified letter for proof of export turnover
· Valid Letter of Authority

How to register with EPCES?

The EPCES registration process is:

1. Login to the DGFT website and create an account, in case it does not exist.
2. Apply for Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) 3. Upload required documents like APR, proof of export turnover and a valid letter of authorization.
4. Send an email to membership@epces.in and accounts@epces.in after making the payment so that the payment can be reconciled.

Apart from this, several EPCs have been established to promote exports from India. Such initiatives and the opportunities from e-commerce have enabled easy exports for MSMEs in the country.

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More blogs on Export Promotion Councils

1. 10 Export Promotion Councils of India you must know about

2. All you need to know about Cashew Export Promotion Council of India

3. Export Promotion Councils in India: Steps to register

4. Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts: Role and importance

5. Wool & Woollens Export Promotion Council (WWEPC): Steps to register

6. Plastic Export Promotion Council: How to become a member?

7. All you need to know about APEDA and its registration process

8. Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC): Benefits and registration process

9. How to become a member of the Carpet Export Promotion Council?

10. Indian Silk Export Promotion Council: Steps to register

11. All you need to know about Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council

12. All you need to know about Jute Products Development and Export Promotion Council

13. Everything you need to know about Handloom Export Promotion Council

14. Everything you need to know about Apparel Export Promotion Council

15. Sports Goods Export Promotion Council: How to register?

16. Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL): How to register?

17. Everything you need to know about the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO)

18. Council for Leather Exports: How to register?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is EPCES membership?

EPCES membership is opting for RCMC from the export promotion council and plays an active role in its operations.

EPCES comes under which Ministry?

EPCES comes under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Published on December 29, 2022.

Sources:
1. https://www.epces.in/about-epces.php
2. https://www.epces.in/renewal-of-membership.php
3. https://www.epces.in/eligibility-criteria-for-epces-membership.php
4. https://www.epces.in/epces-membership-fee-structure.php
5. https://www.indiafilings.com/learn/export-promotion-council-for-eous-and-sezs-epces/
6. https://commerce.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/English-Annual-Report-2021-22-Department-of-Commerce.pdf

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*Map not to scale. The map has been used for design and representational purpose only, it does not depict the geographical boundaries of the country. These do not conform to the external boundaries of India recognized by the Survey of India.