The 7th EU - Indonesia Business Dialogue (EIBD) 2017

Continuing the successful event in prior years, the EU-Indonesia Business Dialogue once again held by EuroCham to bring business players and policymakers discussing crucial issues for investment climate and business activities. Carrying the theme of “EU-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership: Maximizing Trade and Investment Opportunities and Supporting Economic Reforms”, the 7th EIBD gathered more than 200 business leaders and government representatives from Indonesia as well as Europe.

Held on Tuesday, 28 November 2017, the EIBD was started with three parallel sessions in the morning. In these sessions, participants were discussing Services, Standards, and Custom & Trade Facilitation.

On Services, the session discussed the clarity of definition and scope for short term stay visa amongst government agencies and the businesses need to be in place. Further, businesses recommended to develop an agreement amongst relevance ministries/institutions on visa arrangement and definition of “work” in Indonesia.

On Standards session, businesses acknowledged that automotive sector should rely on international standards, while the agriculture, food, and beverage sector acknowledged the need for further capacity building in order to comply with the EU standards. Recommendation was given, to establish standard mapping framework for both Indonesia and the EU to identify gaps and harmonization.

On Trade & Custom Facilitation session, businesses wished to have integrated platform for trade licensing and port procedures links with online systems managed by in line ministries, such as Inaportnet, Inatrade, and CEISA. This integration will improve the automation and efficiency of administration processes, while increasing certainty and transparency. Businesses then recommended to have continuous dialogue with the government, as well as alignment of the B2B and B2G vessel and cargo handling business processes.

The sessions were then followed with plenary, opened by Chairman of EuroCham, Deputy Head of Permanent Committee for Europe from KADIN and APINDO, and the Ambassador of the European Union for Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam. Providing a key remark in the plenary was the Minister of Industry, Airlangga Hartarto. Minister Hartarto acknowledged that EIBD provides the opportunity for business to voice their recommendations and concerns. Furthermore, he also highlighted the huge potential of EU-Indonesia CEPA to the development of trade and investment between the two economies. 

In this plenary session, the participants had the opportunity to take a first glimpse of a decade of EU-Indonesia Economic Relations, a study conducted by INDEF (Institute for Development of Economic and Finance), commissioned by Eurocham, and co-funded by EU Delegations. Presented by Prof. Dr. Ir. Rina Oktaviani, MS, Senior Economist of INDEF, the study found that Indonesia and the EU are complimentary economic partners, with plenty of room for improvements to reap the full potentials.

In between sessions, the 7th EIBD also introduced Consultative Desk, consisting of European Countries such as Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain. Also participating this desk were BKPM, Kadin, Apindo, and EU Indonesia Business Network.

The EIBD is an annual forum conducted by Indonesian and European business leaders to formulate possible solutions and joint recommendations on issues affecting trade and investment between the EU and Indonesia. In this particular year, the event was also actively supported by KADIN Indonesia and Apindo.

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