(20 ILCS 3948/25)

Sec. 25. Powers of IGP. IGP has the power to:

(1) Host monthly leadership forums to give small groups of top business leaders the ability to interact with top federal, State, and local governmental officials.

(2) Manage trips to Washington, D.C., for key business leaders, giving this group exposure to top policy makers in the federal administration and Congress.

(3) Manage trips to the State for members of Congress and their staffs, giving this group exposure to Illinois businesses, research facilities, and other statewide highlights.

(4) Host monthly trade missions from international companies, introducing these influential travelers to key leaders at Illinois businesses for the expressed purpose of building partnerships with suppliers and customers.

(5) Manage trips to other states and foreign countries for Illinois business leaders to give them and their respective companies exposure to new and expanding markets.

(6) Manage meetings with prospective partners to discuss products, markets, pricing, and other elements of the transaction.

(7) Attract international participation in high profile Illinois projects.

(8) Make recommendations to the Governor and the members of the General Assembly concerning the role the State performs in international business development.

(9) Assist Illinois businesses to engage in, expand, and increase foreign trade.

(10) Establish or co-sponsor mentoring conferences, using experienced manufacturing exporters, to explain and provide information to prospective export manufacturers and businesses concerning the process of exporting to both domestic and international opportunities.

(11) Provide technical assistance to prospective export manufacturers and businesses seeking to establish domestic and international export opportunities.

(12) Coordinate with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity's Small Business Development Centers to link buyers with prospective export manufacturers and businesses.

(13) Promote, both domestically and abroad, products made in Illinois in order to inform consumers and buyers of their high quality standards and craftsmanship.

(14) Develop an electronic data base to compile information on international trade and investment activities in Illinois companies, provide access to research and business opportunities through external data bases, and connect this data base through international communication systems with appropriate domestic and worldwide networks users.

(15) Collect and distribute to foreign commercial libraries directories, catalogs, brochures, and other information of value to foreign businesses considering doing business in this State.

(16) Establish an export finance awareness program to provide information to banking organizations about methods used by banks to provide financing for businesses engaged in exporting and about other State and federal programs to promote and expedite export financing.

(17) Undertake a survey of Illinois' businesses to identify exportable products and the businesses interested in exporting.

(18) In cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, (i) provide assistance to those manufacturing and service companies that desire to export agricultural machinery, implements, equipment, other manufactured products, and professional services; (ii) encourage Illinois companies to initiate exporting or increase their export sales of agricultural and manufactured products; (iii) cooperate with agencies and instrumentalities of the federal government in trade development activities in overseas markets; (iv) conduct the necessary research within Illinois and in overseas markets in order to assist exporting companies; (v) promote the State of Illinois as a source of agricultural and manufactured products through information and promotion campaigns overseas; and (vi) conduct an information program for foreign buyers of Illinois agricultural and manufactured products.

(19) In cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, establish overseas offices for (i) the promotion of the export of Illinois agricultural and manufactured products; (ii) representation of Illinois seaports; (iii) economic development; and (iv) tourism promotion and services.

(20) Charge fees for and recover the costs of its services.

(21) Participate in the authority and responsibility of the State's international tourism programs, initiatives, undertakings, and efforts. IGP and its board may exercise their powers and shall perform their duties in accordance with the fulfillment of IGP's responsibility for international tourism.

(22) Assume from the Department of Agriculture on July 1, 2005, all contractual personnel, books, records, papers, documents, property both real and personal, and pending business in any way pertaining to the international functions of the Bureau of Marketing.

(Source: P.A. 94-388, eff. 7-29-05.)