Airlangga Says Indonesia Enters CPTPP Preparation Phase
The Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, stated that Indonesia is one step closer to becoming a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) after officially entering the preparation discussion stage of the accession process.
This development was announced during the 10th meeting of the CPTPP Commission, held virtually on 26 June 2026. During the meeting, ministers from member states agreed to commence preparation discussions alongside Indonesia, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“The CPTPP is a trade agreement between economies. The provisions within the CPTPP are generally already agreed upon in various international frameworks such as the WTO, RCEP, ASEAN, and the OECD accession process. Therefore, we only require several adjustments to our laws and regulations to meet the commitments in the CPTPP,” Airlangga said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.
This stage serves as the initial step before the formation of the Accession Working Group (AWG) as part of the process towards full CPTPP membership.
Airlangga noted that the government targets Indonesia to become a full member of the CPTPP by 2027.
To date, Indonesia has aligned its domestic regulations across 22 chapters of the CPTPP provisions and submitted the aspirant country questionnaire to the Government of New Zealand, acting as the depository country, on 12 May 2025.
As is well known, the CPTPP is a high-standard free trade agreement and represents one of the most significant trade blocs in the world. Its current membership includes 12 countries, including Japan, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Mexico, which collectively represent approximately 15 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with a market coverage of nearly 600 million people.
In the accession process, Indonesia has also received support from various CPTPP member states, including the United Kingdom, which has consistently supported Indonesia’s application to join the CPTPP. This support was reflected through the signing of the Indonesia-United Kingdom Economic Growth Partnership (EGP) on 19 January 2026.
“This strategic economic cooperation document (EGP) is a tangible manifestation of the commitment of both countries to building inclusive, sustainable, and mutually beneficial economic growth,” said Minister Airlangga.
Airlangga believes that Indonesia’s membership will expand national export market access, increase trade and investment flows, and strengthen Indonesia’s position within regional and global value chains.