The Reorganization of Export Counci

The Ministry of Trade and Industry issued last week two decisions pertaining to Export Councils. The first decision organizes the legal and administrative structure of Export Councils in general while the second decision recomposes the board of directors of a number of key Councils. This may be an indication of the importance accorded by the Egyptian government to promoting exports in the period to come.

Decision No. 228 of 2020[1]

This replaces previous decisions issued since 1997 and sets out the new legal framework for the operation of the Export Councils in general. The most important provisions are the following:

1. The Export Councils are defined as structures which bring together representatives of producers and exporters in order to act as advisory councils, prepare plans and strategies for increasing exports, and improve the efficiency and competitiveness of Egyptian exports.

1. Each Export Council is composed by a decision of the minister responsible for international trade and is constituted of a chairman in addition to a number of members not exceeding nine, for a period of three years.

1. The competent minister, as sees fit, may establish new Councils or cancel existing ones.

1. Some of the main tasks of the Export Councils are the following:

• representing the community of exporters in front of local and international entities;
• proposing plans and policies to improve Egyptian exports, and studying challenges facing exporters and proposing ways to overcome them;
• proposing legislation affecting export sectors;
• proposing programs to support the workforce in the respective sectors;
• preparing market studies and statistics to support decision making in the respective sectors; and
• exchanging expertise among members of the Council in order to promote exports.

1. Each Council is required to submit a biannual business plan, and quarterly and biannual reports on its activities, performance, recommendations, bank accounts and human resources, all of which are submitted to the minister responsible for international trade.

Decision No. 229 of 2020[2]

In this decision, the Minister of Trade and Industry recomposed the boards of the following key Export Councils:

1. The Export Council for Engineering Industries.
2. The Export Council for Chemical Industries and Fertilizers.
3. The Export Council for Printing, Wrapping, Paper, Books and Intellectual Products.
4. The Export Council for Leather Products.
5. The Export Council for Artifacts.
6. The Export Council for Food Industries.
7. The Export Council for Furniture.
8. The Export Council for Medical Industries.
9. The Export Council for Agricultural Crops.
10. The Export Council for Construction, and for Building and Metallurgical Products.
11. The Export Council for Textiles.
12. The Export Council for Real Estate Investment.
13. The Export Council for Garments.

  [1] Ministry of Trade and Industry Decision No. 228/2020 on the Reorganization of Export Councils, Egyptian Gazette, Issue No. 120, 28 May 2020. [2] Minister of Trade and Industry Decision No. 229/2020 on the Restructuring of Export Councils, Egyptian Gazette, Issue No. 120, 28 May 2020.