ABSTRACT
Over the last decades, export promotion agencies have emerged in many countries as a popular tool to increase exports, both in developed and in developing countries (Figure 8.1). Around 1990 export promotion agencies became controversial especially in developing countries due to a lack of effectiveness, funds and business (i.e., client) orientation, while the macroeconomic policies at the time did not offer a solid basis for the social acceptance of exports, so that export promotion agencies mostly did not gain support from the business community (Keesing and Singer 1991; De Wulf 2001). In spite of heavy criticisms, most export promotion agencies were kept in business and worked hard to increase their effectiveness. The policy environment changed and the strong anti-exports bias disappeared.
