History

We have dedicated almost 50 years to increasing our country's exports by diversifying our national products and increasing the number of companies able to reach international markets.

CREATION OF PROCHILE

ProChile was born under the name of the Export Promotion Institute, as the institution in charge of promoting goods and services exports from Chile, and of helping to stimulate foreign investment and tourism in the country.

The 85% of Chilean shipments to international markets corresponded to mining, mainly copper.

Barely 2,5% of total exports corresponded to products from the agricultural, forestry and fishing sectors.

1974

1975

The institution already had 38 workers.

First commercial mission, aimed at the Brazilian market.

1976

Commercial representations are established in Germany (Bonn), Argentina (Buenos Aires), Brazil (Sao Paulo), Colombia (Bogota), United States (New York) and Japan (Tokyo).

1979

DIRECON IS CREATED

Law decree No. 53 creates the General Directorate of International Economic Relations of the Foreign Relations Ministry. Institution that aims to bring together in a single State agency all the instances related to foreign trade. ProChile becomes part of this organization under the name of “Directorate for the Exports Promotion”.

1980

The external network is expanded with five commercial offices located in Bogota, Sao Paulo, New York, Hamburg and Tokyo, plus eleven commercial departments in Bonn, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Vienna, Seoul, Paris, Hong Kong, London, Rome, Singapore and Caracas.

1982

COORDINATION WITH ODEPLAN, CORFO AND THE CIE.

Two new commercial departments are opened in Los Angeles and Madrid.

A coordinated work plan between ProChile, ODEPLAN, CORFO and the CIE is contemplated to promote foreign investment in Chile.

The basket is diversified, innovative products and export markets are sought, to end Chile’s dependence on fluctuations in the market.

Approval by developed countries of phyto and zoo sanitary standards for some Chilean products.

Water certification by the FDA, which allows the export of bivalve molluscs.

Three varieties of grapes enter to the Japanese market and Chile is declared free of aphtose fever.

Wine promotion campaigns begin.

First Export Meeting, in which Chile’s commercial attaches abroad, regional representatives, businesspersons and other government authorities participated. More than 600 were made.

1985

1988

International promotion of Chilean salmon and fresh fruit begins.

Wine promotion campaigns are reinforced.

1989

Attendees to the Second Export Meeting totalled more than 4,500.

1992

EXPO – SEVILLA

The Expo – Seville is held, and event that prompted ProChile to develop long-term work to strengthen the country’s image.

In conjunction with the private sector and with the focus on the United States, the country-product image strategy begins to operate. This strategy seeks to differentiate and position Chilean exports to increase their shipments.

1993

A defined strategy is initiated to increase shipments from Chile to Asian countries.

The InTaMa program is created in order to increase exports to Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

Penetration strategies are developed in Eastern Mediterranean countries.

1994

THE AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS PROMOTION FUND IS BORN

Projects are presented to carry out campaigns in Europe, specifically in Spain and England.

The Agricultural Exports Promotion Fund is born, in order to promote the development of agricultural exports and support the internationalization process of companies in the sector.

Support for programs for the export of grapes and kiwi to Japan, and a general one that promoted Chilean fruit in the United States and Europe.

The website is inaugurated; instruments like this allow exporters to achieve greater impact in foreign markets, by having practical information on foreign trade.

1995

The institution focuses on the “market-product” concept as an action axis, in response to the Asian crisis, which produced a drop in exports.

1997

NEW OFFICES

Commercial offices are opened in Russia, Morocco, India, Hungary and Ukraine.

Work is consolidated in Latin American countries, coordinated by the Commercial Office of Costa Rica.

1998

1999

Chile participates in the most important Fair to date, the Hannover Industrial Fair.

Work begins on the issue of exporting services.

An agreement is signed between ProChile and SERNATUR to support the development of Chilean tourism activity.

2001

The Chilean service shipments promotion is intensified.

2004

THE SERVICES TRADE DEPARTMENT IS CREATED

The Department of Trade in Services is created; the sector becomes one of the priorities within the institution, due to its contribution of benefit to the national offer.

2005

The expanded Country Image Committee approves the Brand proposal “Chile, All Ways Surprising” (“Chile Sorprende, Siempre”).

2007

CHILE WEEK

The “Chile Weeks” instrument is incorporated, in order to carry out a single great activity that includes Flavours of Chile, Wine Shows and Tasting, Gastronomic Weeks, technical seminars, cultural activities, fashion, bilateral business meeting and visits to terrain, among others.

13 Chilean Weeks were held on three continents in the 2007-2010 period.

A complete diagnosis is carried out and the challenges to work on are presented to face the year 2014, where the focus should be centred on Chilean exporters and potential exporters.

FOREIGN OFFICE MODERNIZATION

On January 09, 2018, the Chamber of Deputies approved and dispatched the bill that modernizes the Foreign Relations Ministry. This is a historic milestone, since after 28 years trying; Congress finally approves legal modifications that will allow the Foreign Ministry modernization.

The initiative establishes the functions that the bodies corresponding to the under secretariat of Foreign Relations and the new under secretariat of International Economic Relations will have. The General Directorate for Export Promotion (ProChile) is created, and the personal statute of the Ministry is modified, with the aim of introducing modalities that give privilege to merit, ability, performance and accumulated experience.

2018

2019

ProChile becomes a new public service, dependent on the under secretariat of International Economic Relations. In this way, it acquires greater administrative and budgetary autonomy. Through this, a new stage began, aimed at providing the Service with the necessary capabilities to position it as a modern public service, increasing the digitalization of its processes and management, putting its customers at the centre.

ProChile worked with 5.739 beneficiary companies, of which 2,091 are exporters and represent 36% of the exporters of non-copper goods and services nationwide. These companies generated 63% of the amounts exported nationwide, and about 386 thousand Jobs.

2020

2021

The beneficiaries were placed at the center of the strategic focus in order to adapt guidelines and implement the strategy according to their needs as a central focus. Launch of the "Unboxing Chile" campaign, whose objective was to promote Chile's offer as reliable, sustainable and of high quality. e-Exporta and ProChile GlobalX, Virtual Classroom, digital export and training platforms, are born. ProChile takes the lead in the organization of the Chilean pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai and plays a crucial role in the implementation of the National Green Hydrogen Strategy.

2022

Receives the certification of the NCh3262 Standard, Gender Equality and Work-Life Balance Management System, which seeks to facilitate the development of those who work in ProChile under equal conditions and, allowing continuous improvement in overcoming cultural and organizational gaps to achieve equal opportunities between men and women.

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