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Trade Ministry denies freezing CEPA negotiations with EU
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Soemadi D.M. Brotodiningrat, head of the Indonesian delegation at the 11th negotiation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the European Free Trade Association shakes hands with Markus Schlagenhof of Switzerland in September 2016. (Courtesy of/efta.int)
T
he Trade Ministry’s international trade negotiation director general, Iman Pambagyo, has denied rumors that Indonesia will freeze negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the European Union (EU) due to a recent palm oil resolution issued by the EU parliament.
“There’s no such plan. We want to bring that CPO [crude palm oil] issue into the context of trade and sustainable development under the CEPA platform,” he said via text message.
On April 4, the EU parliament issued a resolution to only import sustainable oil palm products after 2020. The resolution also called for a single sustainability standard despite Indonesia already having its own Sustainable Palm Oil standard.
(Read also: CEPA expected to boost EU’s low investment in Indonesia)
The resolution sparked controversy and disappointment among Indonesian stakeholders. Local businesspeople grouped under the National Palm Oil Board even asked the government to pause CEPA negotiations to respond to it.
CEPA, the ministry has stated, is important to jack up trade, services, investment and sustainable development between Indonesia and the EU.
Total trade between Indonesia and the EU is considered small, at just US$25.1 billion, smaller than Vietnam at $53.6 billion, according to TradeMap. (bbn)
