Trade, tariffs and industry

Executive Order 13596: Amendments to Executive Orders 12131 and 13539

President: Barack Obama

Changed the membership and administration of the President’s Export Council and PCAST.

Status: Completed/expired. Is Executive Order 13596 still in effect? No. Executive Order 13596 is completed or expired. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 13596 do?

EO 13596 made targeted institutional changes rather than creating a broad program. It increased private-sector membership on the President’s Export Council and revised its federal representation, while changing the size, co-chair structure and Energy Department support for President Obama’s PCAST. Later presidents repeatedly amended or re-created both bodies: the Export Council was not renewed after September 2025, and a new PCAST was established in January 2025 under a separate order.

Administration position: The order adjusted advisory bodies; it did not transfer trade, science or technology decision-making authority away from responsible officials.
SignedDecember 19, 2011
Bodies amendedPresident’s Export Council and PCAST
Export Council statusTerminated September 30, 2025
PCAST statusReestablished under a January 2025 order

Before and after

Before the order

EO 12131 and EO 13539 set the councils’ then-current membership and support arrangements.

After the order

The councils operated with revised compositions until successor presidential actions changed their structures.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Commerce DepartmentSupport the Export Council under amended termsEnded with council termination
Energy DepartmentSupport the Obama-era PCASTSuperseded
Current White House and Energy DepartmentOperate the 2025 PCASTContinuing under a different order

What happened next

EO 13596 amended both councils.

A new order established the current PCAST.

The President’s Export Council terminated after nonrenewal.