InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – To discuss some issues, such as, renewable energy and political agenda heading to general election 2024, representatives of European Union (EU) Parliament visited Indonesian Legislators.
In the visit, the two institutions discussed about palm oil which is one main export commodity from Indonesia for having trade barrier because of deforestation assumption. The visit of EU Parliament was directly accepted by Chairman of Badan Kerja Sama Antar Parlemen (BKSAP) Indonesia Legislators, Fadli Zon, Tuesday (21/2/2023).
He said, the discussion covered many things. EU Parliament did consist of many commissions. Zon told, EU Parliament regularly came to Indonesian Legislators. It could be 2 to 3 times and could be more. “I think it is positive because they have good attention to ASEAN region namely Indonesia. We always accept them through BKSAP,” he said, as InfoSAWIT quoted from Parlementaria.
He also told that in economy the meeting discussed about palm oil trade barrier because of the assumption of deforestation and health. Black campaigns about deforestation is undeniable because fire took place in many forests in Indonesia. About health issue – saturated fat, it is said, it made palm oil dangerous commodity but it is also found in many products, such as, cheese, chocolate, and others.
“In the past few years, our palm oil exports had issues because some decisions might be taken as trade barrier, such as, from the accusations of deforestation and others,” he said.
But from the institutional perspective, Indonesian Legislators told them (EU Parliament) that there might be case per case and in general it gets better and there should be no trade barriers for export products from Indonesia, both palm oil and others.
He continued, the fire in the forests in Indonesia in the past few years decreased. That is why he rejected that environmental issues are said as the trade barriers for Indonesia to export palm oil. He also thought it needs diplomacy both from the government, Legislators, private sectors to solve it.
“This is diplomacy both from the government, Legislators, and the people, namely from the private sectors that run this business,” he said. (T2)
