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On June 10, 2020, EuroCham was invited to participate and speak at the Virtual Roundtable on Industry and Intermediary Cooperation Against Online IPR Infringements in Indonesia. This event was organized by the IP Key South-East Asia. Speaking on behalf of EuroCham in this opportunity was Kin Wah Chow from Rouse in his capacity as the Head of EuroCham Intellectual Property Working Group. Kin Wah shared business perspective’s observations on the issues and challenges faced by IPR Owners against Online Infringements. This presentation was followed by a remark by the Director of Copyright and Industry Design of the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) of Indonesia, Agus Pardede, who highlighted the policy framework in Indonesia.

Another speaker in this discussion that represented the government was, Agung Damarsasongko, the Deputy Director, Legal Service and Collective Management Organization of the DGIP. Agung shared about the challenges of protecting and enforcing IPRs in the online environment and initiatives undertaken by Indonesia. This event also invited other speakers and experts to highlight other aspects such as programs and initiatives by the e-commerce platform, IPR Protection and Enforcement in the online environment, and the way forward. The overall discussion was moderated by Raffaele Quarto, the Head of the Economic and Trade Section of the EU Delegation to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam.

Following a preparation meeting on 27 May 2020 with John Hutagaol as the Director of International Taxation, EuroCham was honored to participated in a joint dialogue on 29 May 2020 with the Director of General of Tax, Suryo Utomo. The virtual meeting was organized by the Directorate-General of Tax to disseminate information and get feedback on the newly issued Minister of Finance Regulation No. 48/PMK.03/2020 that regulates the procedures for the appointment and collection of VAT for imported digital goods and services. Other than EuroCham, this joint session was also joined by member companies of AmCham, and the US-Asean Business Council.

Under the new regulation, which takes effect from 1 July, the Indonesian Government will implement a change in VAT for foreign businesses that sell digital goods and services to customers in Indonesia. Businesses selling digital goods or services may need to collect VAT from their Indonesian customers, pay the tax to the Indonesian Government, and file quarterly reports to the Indonesian Tax Office. In his remarks, the Director General of Tax welcomed further discussion on how EuroCham members can comply with this new procedure, to ensure smooth implementation.