Welcome to the North Texas District Export Council! The North Texas District Export Council (NTDEC) is one of the 60+ DEC which make significant contributions to America’s international competitiveness. It is a diverse group of volunteer International Trade Professionals representing regions throughout North Texas.

The District Export Councils contribute leadership and international trade expertise to complement the U.S. Commercial Service’s export promotion efforts through counseling businesses on the exporting process and conducting trade education and community outreach. The primary objectives of the NTDEC are to educate the community about free trade and the benefits of free trade and include “how to” education to promote exports by companies in our area. This is facilitated through networking events and subject matter expert speaking forums. There are also legislative, educational and certification programs to participate in.

According to the International Trade Administration, the Dallas metropolitan area was the 6th largest export market in the U.S. in 2021 with merchandise shipments totalling $43.2 billion. This accounts for 9.5 percent of Texas goods exports. The latest data available indicates that 8,641 companies exported goods from the Dallas metropolitan area. Of these, 87 percent were small- or medium-sized exporters (SMEs) with fewer than 500 employees. Top export market regions include those covered by the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The top Dallas-Fort Worth area export market countries included USMCA partners Mexico and Canada, as well as Taiwan, South Korea, China, Japan, Singapore, the Netherlands, Germany, Vietnam, and India. Expansion of the DFW global trade footprint is a primary reason why the region’s Gross Metropolitan Product is the fastest growing among major metropolitan areas over the last decade. The DFW economy punches above its weight: While the region accounts for 26 percent of the population in Texas, the DFW share of the Texas economy is 28 percent.