Australia Exempts Duty for Indonesian Products
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Indonesian products entering Australia will be charged zero percent dutt during the period of 2009 – 2010. Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said Indonesia will receive rate reduction for textile and footwear products. So far, Indonesian textiles are charged 5 – 17. 5 percent duty. “Australia has responded to Indonesia’s request to accelerate the reduction of duty from 2009 to 2012,” she said yesterday.
Indonesia and other ASEAN countries will sign the Free Trade Agreement/FTA with Australia and New Zealand at the 14th ASEAN High Level Conference on February 27 in Hua Hin, Thailand. Around 93 percent or US$ 2.4 billion of Indonesia’s export values to Australia will be exempt from duty as of October 2009. The commodities include wooden materials for furniture, textile, paper, nickel, and shoes.
Meanwhile, around 79 percent or US$ 325 million of Indonesia’s export values will be exempted from duty from New Zealand, including textile duty, from the previous 7.79-19 percent to zero percent by 2017. “The exemption will be accelerated from to 2017 to 2020,” Mari said.
According to the deal, Mari said, Indonesia will reduce around 85 percent of rates during 2009 – 2015. “This will be done in stages. In a year, we will reduce 13 percent,” she added. Australian commodities obtaining duty reduction this year include aluminum, cotton, cattle food, and salt. Mari pointed out that particularly for milk and cows, the rate exemption will be carried out the beginning of 2017 to 2020.
Indonesia and Australia’s non-oil and gas trade balance until October 2008 suffered US$ 1.6 billion in deficits.
VENNIE MELYANI
Indonesia and other ASEAN countries will sign the Free Trade Agreement/FTA with Australia and New Zealand at the 14th ASEAN High Level Conference on February 27 in Hua Hin, Thailand. Around 93 percent or US$ 2.4 billion of Indonesia’s export values to Australia will be exempt from duty as of October 2009. The commodities include wooden materials for furniture, textile, paper, nickel, and shoes.
Meanwhile, around 79 percent or US$ 325 million of Indonesia’s export values will be exempted from duty from New Zealand, including textile duty, from the previous 7.79-19 percent to zero percent by 2017. “The exemption will be accelerated from to 2017 to 2020,” Mari said.
According to the deal, Mari said, Indonesia will reduce around 85 percent of rates during 2009 – 2015. “This will be done in stages. In a year, we will reduce 13 percent,” she added. Australian commodities obtaining duty reduction this year include aluminum, cotton, cattle food, and salt. Mari pointed out that particularly for milk and cows, the rate exemption will be carried out the beginning of 2017 to 2020.
Indonesia and Australia’s non-oil and gas trade balance until October 2008 suffered US$ 1.6 billion in deficits.
VENNIE MELYANI