Government Targets E-Commerce Cost Regulations for SMEs, Aiming for Release by End of May

The Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs is targeting the issuance of new regulations related to cost efficiency in the digital ecosystem by the end of May 2026. These regulations are being prepared in response to complaints from small business actors facing cost pressures on e-commerce trading platforms.

Deputy for Small Businesses at the Ministry of SMEs, Temmy Satya Permana, stated that the harmonisation process has been completed. The document is now in the final stage before being promulgated.

“It (the Ministry of SMEs Regulation) has finished harmonisation. Now we are sending it to the State Secretariat to request principal approval for promulgation. So, at the latest before the end of May, we must have finished it,” said Temmy in Jakarta on Tuesday (5/5/2026).

“We have agreed that what is regulated in the Ministry of SMEs Regulation will also be accommodated in their Trade Ministry Regulation. It will even serve as a reference. But we are still waiting. This is still in the drafting process, public testing. There will definitely be developments later. But certainly, we have agreed that there will be no conflicts,” Temmy added.

These regulations will target various cost components deemed burdensome to business actors. The shipping cost scheme on e-commerce platforms is a primary focus.

“Basically, everything that burdens SMEs we will try to resolve there. Later, we might also meet with platform friends,” said Temmy.

SMEs Minister Maman Abdurrahman emphasised that cost imposition practices on marketplaces need deeper examination. This step is taken so that small business actors do not continue to be in a weak position.