On 29 July, Indonesia's Customs Office and Belgium's General Administration of Customs and Excise (GACE) held a hybrid session to educate small and medium enterprises (SMEs) about the export procedures to Belgium. The event, attended by 10 SMEs from the Jakarta and Banten regions, aimed to enhance their knowledge and encourage them to export their products. Eddy de Cuyper, Customs Counsellor of Belgium, was a key speaker at the session. Encep Dudi Ginanjar, Head of Public Relations and Education at Customs, emphasized that this initiative exemplifies Customs' role in supporting industry and facilitating trade. The session was part of an action plan under the Letter of Intent (LoI) on Collaboration between Customs Authorities, originally signed in 2019 and renewed in 2022, valid until 19 September 2025.
The collaboration between Indonesian Customs and Belgium Customs has previously included joint efforts such as cyber team sharing sessions, coordinated actions against drug smuggling, and visits to key customs facilities like Tanjung Priok Port and Ngurah Rai Airport for benchmarking. An ongoing action plan also includes training on dark web and container inspection techniques. The LoI aims to strengthen cooperation between the two customs authorities, focusing on combating customs violations, ensuring the security of the international trade supply chain, and serving the interests of both countries. Encep highlighted that this partnership aligns with Customs' duties to facilitate trade and assist domestic industries. The initiative is expected to foster strong bilateral relations, enhance security and trust, and contribute to Indonesia's sustainable economic growth.
