Jakarta, April 17, 2025 — The Europe Today: Deputy Minister of Trade Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri met with the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA) to discuss the ongoing negotiations of the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), emphasizing the agreement’s strategic importance amid a volatile global trade environment.
“We believe that the completion of the Indonesia-EU CEPA will enhance market confidence for both parties,” Putri stated, according to an official release from the Ministry of Trade on Thursday.
During the meeting, held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Jakarta on Wednesday (April 16), the deputy minister underlined the CEPA’s potential to deliver wide-reaching benefits to the public, particularly in light of prevailing uncertainties in international trade dynamics.
She also urged the EU Parliament to consider the differing levels of economic development between the two partners, and to adopt a pragmatic and flexible approach to help ensure that the CEPA negotiations reach a successful conclusion by 2025.
“While expanding free markets is essential, it is equally important to recognize economic asymmetries. We expect the EU to exercise flexibility so that a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement can be finalized,” she remarked.
Putri emphasized that the CEPA would foster a more business-friendly environment, enhance investor confidence, and ultimately support the sustained economic welfare of both Indonesia and the European Union.
The deputy minister also highlighted the growing importance of international cooperation in the face of emerging global trade tensions, particularly stemming from the United States’ tariff measures affecting several of its partners, including Indonesia and the EU.
In 2024, Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of US$4.5 billion with the EU, with total exports to the bloc reaching US$17.3 billion — a 4.01 percent increase from the previous year. Indonesia’s primary exports to the EU include palm oil and its derivatives, copper ore and concentrates, industrial monocarboxylic fatty acids, oil cake, and solid residues.
The ongoing CEPA negotiations are expected to pave the way for stronger bilateral trade relations, improved market access, and greater economic resilience in the face of global challenges.
