InfoSAWIT, YOGYAKARTA – Indonesia and Uni Eropa successfully accomplished the negotiation of the 15th Indonesia- European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (I-EU CEPA) which ran on 10—14 July 2023 in Yogyakarta. In meeting, the delegations of Indonesia were led by Director of Bilateral Negotiation, Johni Martha, as the Chairman and negotiation team from European Union was led by Deputy Head of Unit for the Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, Filip Deraedt.
The 15th round discussed 15 issues, they were, goods trade, rules of origin, sustainable food system, anti-fraud clauses, technical barriers in trade, service trade, digital trade, investment, investment dispute resolution, government procurement, sustainable trade and development, dispute resolution, institutional provision, economic cooperation and capacity building as the subsidies for online meetings.
In the opening negotiation, General Director of International Trade Negotiation, Ministry of Trade Indonesian Republic, Djatmiko Bris Witjaksono appreciated both commitments to accomplish I – EU CEPA negotiation substantially as soon as very possible.
“Two negotiation teams did their best, tried to get creative solutions on the issues in I – EU CEPA. After the final negotiation in Brussels, we are optimist to get further substantial progress in the negotiation,” Djatmiko said, as in the official statement to InfoSAWIT recently.
Both sides also successfully got progress in text discussion, such as, agreement of Economic Cooperation and Capacity Building (ECCB). This officially makes ECCB as the seventh chapter that came to a conclusion in I – EU CEPA.
The 16th negotiation would be running by the late of 2023 in Brussels, Belgium.
“The next negotiation would be running by the late of 2023. It is hoped Indonesia and European Union are committed to maintain positive progress from this round. I also encourage good communication and intersession meeting if needed for every team work,” Johni said.
In 2022, the total trade between Indonesia — European Union reached US$ 33,2 billion. Still from the period, exports from Indonesia to European Union reached US$ 21,5 billion while imports of Indonesia from European Union reached US$ 11,7 billion. The mainstay exports from Indonesia to the continent were crude palm oil and its fractions, monocarboxylate fatty acid, coal, copper, and footwear within the upper parts made of leather. The main imports of Indonesia from European Union were pipe made of steel and iron, medicines, vaccine, machine to produce paper pulp, paper, and recycled cardboard. (T2)
