Import duty on IT goods lowered

JAKARTA (JP): Import duty on electronic goods and information technology based office equipment has been lowered from 10 percent to 5 percent, while that for electric devices has been dropped from 5 percent to zero, Hadiyanto head of the law and public relations bureau at the finance ministry said in a statement on Monday.

The decision to lower import duty was part of the implementation of Indonesia's commitment in the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), aiming at improving the flow of domestic products and competitiveness, he said.

Two raw materials for fertilizer, Trimin DF-500 and Montaline SPVC S.3, were exempted from import duty, but for Montaline SPVC S.3 the duty exemption lasts only until October 2000, to secure materials for the domestic fertilizer industry, he added. (06)