The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) is a business membership organization that advocates for international and public policy that support an open world trading system. The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) was established on May 28, 1914, by a resolution of the first National Foreign Trade Convention, during its proceedings at Washington D.C.'s Hotel Raleigh. In this resolution the convention, which met on May 27 and 28, 1914, called for the creation of a national organization "to coordinate the foreign trade activities of the nation." The convention appointed thirty-five delegates to serve as charter members of the NFTC, with James A. Farrell (1863-1943), then-President of U.S. Steel, the new organization's first chairman.

The Council holds annual conventions, and provides numerous publication and information services to members, issuing large numbers of memoranda, bulletins, regional periodicals and digests of business news on particular issues or areas related to international trade. Council staff and members are involved as government liaison, including testimony before Congress and lobbying of administration officials.