Scoping Has Been Completed, Trade Minister Says

Indonesian Trade Ministers Thomas Lembong delivers a press statement at the Presidential Office on Monday

Indonesian Minister of Trade Thomas Lembong said that during the recent working visit of President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo to the European Union (EU) Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, the initial phase of IE-CEPA (Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement), known as scoping, was completed.

This is an extraordinary surprise,” the Minister told reporters after a limited cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office on Monday (25/4).

Thomas added that the scoping actually begun between Indonesia and the EU in 2010; yet it was not completed after four years. However, the Minister added, thanks to the good leadership of President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla, as well as extraordinary supports from coordinating ministers,  the scoping could be finished in four months.

“The EU is also very surprised and they responded to it enthusiastically, positively. I personally think this is not only a development but is also a bit historic,” the Minister said.

Regarding cooperation on vocational school, the Minister explained that the IE-CEPA negotiation for cooperation on vocational school is estimated to take 2 to 2.5 years. However, he ensures that both sides hope for a ‘quick win’, that is cooperation on vocational school.

“So it has been decided that the Government will immediately hold joint coordinating meetings between coordinating ministers, especially Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture to establish vocational academies, vocational training centers and certification systems for vocational schools,” the Minister said.

On that occasion, Thomas also said that the EU appreciated the Indonesian Government that applied timber legality system, called the Wood Legality Verification System (SVLK) before the President’s Europe working visit.

“This is the first in the world. This is the first in EU too and they enthusiastically welcome this SVLK. Our timber exports to the EU can directly enter the Green Line. Our exports do not have to go through the contain inspection process and other processes,” the Minister said.

As for palm oil, the Minister said that Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the EU welcome the call of the Indonesian Government to coordinate and cooperate in the fight against black campaigns or discrimination against Indonesia’s palm oil exports.

“We reported progress in the environment sector and the preservation of peat. The EU also  very much welcomed the plan made by the President before the European tour,  moratorium on palm oil,” Thomas said, adding there has been much quite heartening progress in the dialog between Indonesia and the EU on palm oil trade. (DID/FID/ES) (Naster/YM/EP)