RI needs to heed chaning EU policies<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia needs to be more responsive to changes
\nin the European Union as the regional integration process
\nintensifies, ambassador Adrianus Mooy said.<\/p>\n
Mooy, who just completed his term as Indonesia's ambassador to
\nthe European Union, said yesterday that Indonesia must pay closer
\nattention to the issues of human rights and East Timor in its
\nrelations with Europe.<\/p>\n
\"The power of the European Parliament, following the
\nMaastricht Treaty, has been expanded. Many policies of the union
\nmust have the approval of the European Parliament,\" he told
\nreporters.<\/p>\n
Portugal is also increasingly using the forum to influence
\nother members on their policies for Indonesia, he said.<\/p>\n
Mooy was speaking to reporters after reporting to President
\nSoeharto on ending his ambassadorial assignment.<\/p>\n
An economist by training, who was governor of Bank Indonesia
\nbefore his appointment to Brussels in 1993, Mooy will next month
\nbegin a new job as executive secretary of the United Nations'
\nEconomic and Social Committee for Asia Pacific.<\/p>\n
Indonesia once complained to the chief of the European
\nParliament about the way it has been issuing resolutions against
\nIndonesia without giving Jakarta a chance to first respond to the
\ncharges, Mooy said. \"That's why it would really help if we could
\nintensify our visits to the European Parliament in order to
\nexplain our position to them.\"<\/p>\n
On the economic front, the ambassador said Indonesia should
\nanticipate the changes that come with the integration process.<\/p>\n
Citing an example, he said Belgium is now imposing a quota on
\nIndonesia textiles and is also imposing higher tariffs.<\/p>\n
Indonesia may be entitled for some compensation because of
\nthese changes, he said, adding that he has compared notes with
\nthe U.S. ambassador in the European Union on this issue because
\nthe United States is filing for compensation also.<\/p>\n
Indonesian companies should also be more responsive to
\nquestionnaires sent by the European Union in connection with
\nanti-dumping charges, Mooy said, noting that he has received
\ncomplaints in Brussels about questionnaires being returned
\nincomplete or beyond the deadline.<\/p>\n
Indonesia also needs to intensify its campaign to attract
\ninvestors from Europe and to vie, in particular, for the
\nrelocation of industries from the continent, he said.<\/p>\n
He noted that many of the Indonesian-made footwear goods that
\nfound their way to European companies are produced by companies
\nthat have relocated their plants from Asian countries like Japan
\nand South Korea.<\/p>\n
\"It would be nice if the investment had originated from Europe
\nand the goods produced and exported to European markets,\" he
\nsaid. (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-needs-to-heed-chaning-eu-policies-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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