Expert: E-commerce Administration Fee Regulations Should Not Harm the Economy
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JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - An expert has warned that the planned regulation of administration fees on e-commerce platforms should not have a negative impact on the economy.
The government is reportedly preparing policies to strengthen protection and improve the competitiveness of micro and small businesses (MSMEs) in the digital space, including addressing the issue of administration fees and commissions charged by platforms.
“This is just a plan. I think the government, especially the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of MSMEs, needs to immediately explain the details of the policy,” said digital economy expert Piter Abdullah, in a statement on Thursday (February 26, 2026).
Amid the discussions, attention from stakeholders has focused on the technical substance of the policy. Regarding the proposed scheme for fee reductions for MSMEs, the issue of “50 percent” has been widely discussed by the public.
Several other points that have emerged include fee reductions proposed through SAPA UMKM, with verification based on applications from MSMEs through SAPA UMKM, and further provisions regulated through a ministerial decree.
Piter also reminded that the policy formulation process should not be rushed. He emphasized the importance of first holding a dialogue with business actors and academics to ensure that the policies formulated have a truly positive impact on the economy.
“We hope that all government policies are not taken hastily. A dialogue should be held with business actors and academics first, so that the policies taken truly benefit the economy,” he added.
“Policies that are rushed without in-depth study have the potential to be ineffective or even have a negative impact on the economy, which ultimately harms the government itself,” Piter concluded.
Minister of MSMEs Maman Abdurrahman affirmed that the practice of charging fees on marketplaces needs serious attention so that small business actors do not continue to be in a weak position.
According to Maman, so far, the determination of the amount of administration fees has been entirely left to market mechanisms and the policies of each e-commerce platform.
“So, for example, if e-commerce A wants to impose marketing fees and so on on merchants or MSMEs, it is left to market mechanisms. That is the case today,” said Maman in a working meeting with Commission VII of the DPR RI, some time ago.
This pattern, he said, often creates inequality because MSME actors do not have adequate bargaining power.
Therefore, the government is now preparing a special regulation to regulate administration fees on e-commerce platforms. This regulation is expected to create a more equitable digital trading ecosystem, while also providing a healthy space for MSMEs to grow.
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