Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto is targeting the negotiations on the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU CEPA) to be completed in the first semester of 2025. "This is the right and important time. Because of course the EU (European Union) has a new government. Well, in this case I will immediately communicate with the new commissioner, and it seems from the discussion that the new commissioner is also very eager, very eager to complete the CEPA," said Airlangga in a press conference at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Office, Jakarta. Airlangga explained that the IEU CEPA negotiations have been tough so far, even taking up to 9 years.
Therefore, President Prabowo Subianto has set a target for the IEU-CEPA negotiations to be completed in the first semester of 2025. "Well, we have several issues, but of course we are not detailing those issues. Actually, with Indonesia winning yesterday in the WTO (dispute) over palm oil, this will also facilitate our negotiations with the IEU-CEPA," he said. Previously, in September 2024, Airlangga said that the IEU-CEPA negotiation process was being hampered due to a change in the cabinet within the European Union. He explained that the negotiation process was tough because there was a reshuffle in the ranks of officials within the European Union commission which resulted in changes to the requirements for Indonesia. Airlangga said there were three main issues that were requested to be resolved immediately. First, the European Union wants Indonesia to relax import policies for products originating from Europe. Second, related to export restriction policies in the form of imposing export duties, and third regarding digital taxation.
