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Indonesia, EU to discuss trade pact during Jokowi visit
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is to visit the EU next week; trade will be one of the primary topics of discussion. (thejakartapost.com/Wienda Parwitasari)
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ndonesian officials will discuss the initial phase of the comprehensive economic partnership agreement with the EU (CEPA) with its European partners during President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo’s visit next week, Trade Minister Thomas Lembong has said.
The government has 14 issues to discuss with the EU, including non-tariff barriers as a priority topic.
"Once the scoping paper is finished, the next step is formal negotiations, possibly running for two years, then finalization and ratification," Thomas said after a press conference on Jokowi's working visit to four European countries at the State Palace on Friday.
The scoping paper phase, Thomas continued, aims to determine the desire of each party to enact the comprehensive economic partnership.
"How deep and how wide the coverage we want will guide the following negotiations," he explained.
"The scope of CEPA itself is very broad, covering not only trade in goods and services but also hygienic standards for horticulture, livestock and rules regarding investment," Thomas said, adding that both Indonesia and EU would have to amend dozens or even hundreds of rules to synchronize, tighten supervision and facilitate customs procedures.
The govenrment's scoping paper covers trade in goods, customs and trade facilitation, technical regulations, trade in service and investment, public procurement, intellectual property rights, competition policy, transparency of regulations, dispute settlements and trade and sustainable development. (bbn)
