Catalogue description Department for Trade and Industry: Joint Directorate and the British Overseas Trade Board and successors: Registered Files (JDP/MFC, MFI, GBH and ABF/ABG Prefix)

The records are arranged by former reference

Both the Department of Trade and Industry and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office contributed records to the JDP/MFC, MFI, GBH and ABF/ABG prefixes since their creation. The Joint Directorate and the British Overseas Trade Board (JD BOTB) was responsible for the development of export promotion policy and the delivery of overseas trade services. This included the negotiation, ratification and implementation of Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (IPPAs) between the UK and other countries, as well as business links and export promotion. JD BOTB was jointly staffed by DTI and FCO. It was replaced by the Joint Export Promotion Directorate (JEPD) in 1994. Both of these Directorates worked alongside the Economic Policy Directorate (ECPOL) of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. ECPOL took over the lead responsibility for IPPAs from JEPD between 1999-2002. At that time, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs was responsible for the negotiation and policy of the agreement and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry was then seen to be responsible for implementing and operating the agreement. The Sustainable Development and Business Group of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office took over the responsbility for IPPAs from 2006.