Records of the Export Services and Promotion Division

The Division was responsible for general export promotion questions, export credit and finance, overseas aid, arms exports and export licensing. It also dealt with information about and participation in trade fairs, the organisation of retail promotions abroad and business missions overseas.

Registered files of the Export Services and Promotion Division, Fairs and Promotions Branch, are in PJ 3.

• Department of Trade, 1974-1983
• Department of Trade, Export Services and Promotion Division, 1974-1981

Topics

Trade and commerce

Aid and development

Export Services and Promotions Division was formed in 1974 along with the Overseas Finance and Planning Division when Export Planning and Development Division (EPD) was dissolved and the two new divisions created. Export Services and Promotion Division consisted of Export Services Division and Branch 3 (Fairs and Promotions Branch) of the former EPD. There were five branches in the division: Co-ordination Branch which was concerned with the co-ordination of export services policy and liaison with Department of Industry regional offices on export matters, General Export Services Branch which was concerned with export services for firms in the London and South Eastern and Eastern Regions, information on market prospects and liaison with trade associations, Special Export Services which maintained the export marketing research scheme and made the arrangements for overseas business visitors, the Export Data Branch which collected market information including import regulations and marketing methods and the Fairs and Promotions Branch which assisted UK firms on trade fairs abroad, business missions to overseas countries and the organisation of retail promotions abroad.

In 1981, five Overseas Trade Divisions were created. The Export Services and Promotion Division became known as the Overseas Trade Division 3 (OT3). OT3 remained in place following the reunification of the Department of Trade and the Department of Industry in 1983. OT3 existed until 1993.