Airlangga: Ratification of IEU-CEPA targeted for completion in second semester

The Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, stated that the ratification process for the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA) is targeted to be completed in the second semester of 2026, allowing for implementation to begin in early 2027.

On Friday, Minister Airlangga and European Union Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic discussed follow-up measures to ensure the ratification process meets the target for the second half of 2026. These discussions took place during a bilateral meeting held as part of the Brussels Economic Security Forum in Brussels, Belgium. The talks also covered preparatory steps for the upcoming visit to Jakarta by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.

IEU-CEPA is viewed as a vital instrument for strengthening economic ties between Indonesia and the European Union. One of the primary benefits of the agreement’s implementation will be the removal of trade tariffs on approximately 98 per cent of tariff lines. For Indonesia, the agreement will provide broader market access to the EU through zero-percent tariff facilities for most national export products, which is expected to enhance the competitiveness of Indonesian products in the European market and support national export growth.

“We also discussed opportunities for investment cooperation through various strategic programmes, including the development of the critical minerals sector, which is a point of interest for both parties,” said Airlangga. Cooperation in this sector is considered to have significant prospects, given that Indonesia is accelerating its natural resource downstreaming programme to increase domestic value addition, while the European Union requires a supply of strategic minerals to support the energy transition and the development of green technology industries.