Investors Can Breathe Easy: New Export Rules Contain These Exceptions

The government has emphasised that the new governance policy for the export of strategic natural resource commodities does not entirely prohibit private companies from exporting. Amid plans to centralise exports through state-owned export enterprises, the government is still granting exceptions for certain business actors. The provisions are stipulated in Minister of Trade Regulation Number 17 of 2026 concerning the Policy and Regulation of Exports of Strategic Natural Resource Commodities, Iron Alloys or Ferroalloys, which implements Government Regulation Number 24 of 2026, thereby altering the export governance of several national strategic commodities, including palm oil, coal, and ferroalloy. “The execution of exports of strategic ferroalloy commodities by a state-owned export enterprise may be exempted for exporters other than the state-owned export enterprise that already have a contract or agreement with the government containing provisions covering, at minimum, investment, divestment, and domestic processing and/or refining,” said Muhammad Rifa’i Abbas, Director of Industrial Product and Mining Exports at the Ministry of Trade, on Tuesday. Generally, the government has determined that exports of strategic natural resource commodities will only be allowed through a government-appointed state-owned export enterprise. However, specifically for ferroalloys, a number of exceptions still allow non-state-owned exporters to ship to the international market. “This exemption was decided in a coordination meeting led by the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs and attended by ministers or heads of non-ministerial government institutions,” said Rifa’i. Furthermore, companies that obtain an exemption are still required to meet the applicable export provisions, including the obligation for verification or technical tracing through surveyor reports. This means the exemption does not imply a release from government oversight. “Exporters other than the state-owned export enterprise that receive the exemption as intended must still fulfil the Surveyor Report obligation,” Rifa’i asserted.