Foreign Trade Administration

General

The Foreign Trade Administration (FTA) at the Israeli Ministry of Economy and Industry manages and supports Israel’s international trade and trade policy. Through our headquarters in Jerusalem together with 50 economic and trade missions in key financial centers throughout the world, the FTA promotes Israel’s economy worldwide.

Israel’s economic and trade missions are at the forefront of the Israeli government’s efforts to boost our industries in foreign markets. Our team of highly experienced economic representatives and business consultants provide a wide range of services to Israeli companies and to the international business community.

The FTA is divided into four main divisions, each promoting the Israeli economy in distinct and significant ways:

• The Trade Promotion Division – works to ensure the continued development of Israel’s exports.
• The Trade Policy and International Agreements Division – responsible for Israel’s free trade agreements, maintaining and developing inter-governmental relations and addressing regulatory barriers that affect Israeli industry.
• The International Projects and Financing Division – offers different programs that support Israeli companies in their business operations abroad.
• Export Control Agency – aims to work closely and collaboratively both with other Israeli government entities as well as with the private sector, in its development, implementation and enforcement of export control regulations.

The Trade Promotion Division

The Branch is responsible for promoting the export and operating the representative offices abroad. For that purpose, it is divided into regional desks which operate a chain of professional commercial attachés around the world. The geographic desks include the following areas: Europe (1+2), America and the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, India-Africa, and China.

The activity includes, among other things, the following activities: 

• Operating the economic representatives’ arrangement.
• Promoting the economic and trade relations with the countries under its responsibility. 
• Organizing and handling business and/or governmental delegations to the country and from it. 
• Supervising and controlling activity, personnel and budgets of the economic representative office.
• Issuing public materials for distribution abroad, for presenting the economic-industrial potential of Israel. 
• Preparing regional and branch surveys for the use of the exporters. 
• Hosting foreign journalists in Israel and accompanying them through their visit in the industry. 
• Conducting seminars and meetings with businessmen in Israel and abroad. 
• Participating in commercial exhibitions of the field around the world.

The Trade Policy and International Agreements Division

The International Branch is responsible for promoting and maintaining international agreements. The Branch is divided into three departments:

• The Department for Multi-Lateral Agreements – which leads the activity opposite the organizations shaping the policy and trade rules in the world today, such as the WTO. The developments in the organizations and Israel’s active participation in those processes, actually dictate the pace of progress and participation of Israel in the world globalization processes, which eventually enable Israel to improve and expand its trade possibilities.
• The Department for Bi-Lateral Agreements – which negotiates new trade agreements of the state of Israel, with the objective of preventing the discrimination of the local industry and securing our position in the various markets. The Department deals with the continuous handling of these agreements, in order to preserve the rights achieved for the Israeli industry. 
• The Department for Import Policy and OECD – the Department deals with the formalization of the policy of import to Israel and with simplification of foreign trade procedures. In addition, the department deals with representing Israel in the OECD – the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris.

Export Promotion Financial Tools for SMEs

A Division at FTA, dealing with export promotion financial programs. Its main goal is to encourage more companies to export and to enlarge their current export activities.

Smart Money Program: Support for companies marketing efforts for one new market or for changing their marketing strategy in an existing market. Basic requirements: Min. export of NIS 1 million per year, not more than NIS 200 million turnover per year.

SHALAV – A gate for International Marketing: Support for companies on their first steps of export, focusing on 2 markets max. Basic Requirements: Min. NIS 500K turnover per year or NIS 2 million investments in the preceding 3 years. Not more than NIS 1 million export per year.

Export Control Agency, Ministry of Economy and Industry

Dual-use items are goods, software and technology that can be used for both civilian and military applications.

The dual use, nuclear, chemical and biological export control regime aims to prevent proliferation of weapons for mass destruction (WMD) and other sensitive technologies, products, materials and services that might be used in way that undermines regional and international security and stability.

As the competent authority the Export Control Agency of the Ministry of Economy and Industry applies controls over duel use, nuclear, chemical and biological exports, to promote responsible transfers of these items, applying a broad national security approach.

The Export Control Agency aims to work closely and collaboratively both with other Israeli government entities as well as with the private sector, in its development, implementation and enforcement of export control regulations.

Who needs an export license?
Any person engaged in exporting an item, technology or service listed in the Israeli dual use lists and / or the nuclear, chemical and biological lists as they are published on the Ministry of Economy and Industry’s web site (hereinafter: “the lists”) is required by law to apply for a license from the Ministry of Economy and Industry.

The law requires the exporter to classify the item based on the lists. To the extent that the item is controlled under these lists the exporter it is required to hold a valid export license, otherwise the exporter will be subject to sanctions under the laws of the State of Israel (civilian and criminal).

Good to know…

Re-export (export of a controlled item that was previously imported to Israel) may require a re-export license from the foreign country on top of a requirement of an Israeli export license.

Contact us: DU@economy.gov.il