President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) ordered his staff to form a task force to accelerate negotiations on a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement between Indonesia and the European Union (Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement/IEU-CEPA). According to the Coordinating Minister (Menko) for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto, this was conveyed by President Jokowi while chairing a limited meeting on exports and investment at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (11/1/2023). "With the European Union we are expected to complete the CEPA, the President (Joko Widodo) asked to immediately create a task force (a task force) so that it can be signed this year," Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto said in a press statement after the meeting. Airlangga said that President Jokowi had also communicated directly with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who was expected to smoothen the IEU-CEPA negotiation process. In addition, he said, Indonesia would become a partner country for hosting the Hannover Messe 2023, an annual international industrial exhibition which is usually held in spring in Germany. It is hoped that this role can also assist the IEU-CEPA negotiation process.
Airlangga emphasized that the IEU-CEPA is very important in efforts to increase Indonesia-EU trade. CEPA) is a priority for the government," said Airlangga. Based on the achievement of trade values as of November 2022, he said, the European Union contributed US$19.6 billion to Indonesia's total exports. The IEU-CEPA initiative was launched on 18 July 2016 and underwent at least 12 rounds of negotiations, the last of which was held in December 2022. The 12th round of negotiations marked the successful completion of the substance of financial services arrangements under the services trade framework. In addition, Indonesia and the European Union made progress in discussing various issues, especially in the field of rules of origin and technical barriers to trade in the 12th round of the IEU-CEPA.
Source: https://www.republika.co.id/berita/robiaf490/incar-pasar-eropa-jokowi- Minta-formasi-tim-percepat-ieucepa
