InfoSAWIT, BRUSSEL — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto commenced his state visit to the European Union headquarters with a bilateral meeting alongside European Council President António Costa. The meeting took place at the Europa Building in Brussels on Sunday afternoon, marking a new chapter in Indonesia-EU relations.
Welcomed officially by President Costa, Prabowo then participated in a group photo session in the flag room before proceeding to the meeting room on the 11th floor. During this occasion, the President was accompanied by key ministers, including Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Trade Budi Santoso, Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/Head of BKPM Rosan Roeslani, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, and Indonesia's Ambassador to Belgium, Andri Hadi.
This meeting is a significant moment following a decade of lengthy negotiations that have finally resulted in a political agreement in the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU–CEPA). In a joint press conference, Prabowo described this achievement as a “historic day.”
“Today is a very historic day for me. After 10 years of negotiations that at times were quite arduous—today we have achieved a breakthrough,” President Prabowo stated in a press release reported by InfoSAWIT on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
Furthermore, the President emphasized that IEU–CEPA is not just a trade agreement but also a symbol of trust between two major global powers in building inclusive and value-based economic cooperation. Indonesia, he asserted, is ready to open itself to technology transfer, clean energy cooperation, and strengthening food security and mineral downstreaming.
“We view Europe as a very important region and hope that Europe can continue to play a central role in maintaining global peace and stability. The world is currently moving towards a multipolar order,” he added.
The President also shared his vision for expanding cooperation in education and health, as well as creating a healthy and sustainable investment ecosystem for businesses on both sides. He invited the European Union to see Indonesia as a strategic partner amid the ever-changing global dynamics.
Following the bilateral meeting with the European Council President, Prabowo continued his diplomatic agenda by meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Berlaymont Building. During this meeting, von der Leyen announced three main pillars for strengthening bilateral relations: trade, geopolitics and security, and connectivity between citizens.
Regarding trade, von der Leyen welcomed the political agreement on IEU–CEPA, which she described as a strong signal for a long-term partnership based on trust and shared values. “This new trade agreement will bring great opportunities for both our nations. It will open new markets and create more opportunities in key industries, from automotive, agriculture, services, to other businesses,” she stated.
In the realm of geopolitics, she expressed an initiative to elevate Indonesia-EU bilateral relations to a strategic partnership level, aimed at strengthening cooperation in regional and global security. According to von der Leyen, this initiative will complement Indonesia's strategic role in EU-ASEAN relations.
Lastly, regarding connectivity between societies, von der Leyen announced a new policy in the form of a cascade visa system that facilitates access for Indonesian citizens to the Schengen area. This policy allows Indonesians making a second visit to the EU to obtain a multi-entry visa directly. “This will ease visits, investments, studies, and relations. Essentially, we are building bridges between our societies,” she remarked. (T2)
