The European Union sees good prospects for quickly concluding trade talks with Indonesia. Talks have recently “made very good progress” said a spokesperson for the EU Commission to the “Spiegel.” There are still open questions, but both sides are “determined” to bridge the “remaining differences.” A delegation of the European Parliament’s trade committee also reported “movement on a number of points” after talks with Indonesian representatives in Jakarta earlier this year.
Progress has been made, for example, in granting access to European suppliers for state contracts. Both sides also agreed to cooperate more closely on protecting the rainforest. The reason for the rapprochement is not least “the US customs policy” said Bernd Lange, head of the committee. Both sides are looking for a substitute for their US exports, which are endangered by Donald Trump’s import tariffs.
“A conclusion of the agreement could bring relief to the European economy in difficult times” said Lange. Indonesia, with a population of around 280 million, is the fourth-largest country in the world and has a “growing need for industrial investments and consumer goods.” Last year, trade between the EU and Indonesia reached a volume of 28 billion euros.