Prabowo Hopes Germany Will Play Active Role in Finalising IEU-CEPA
President Prabowo Subianto hopes Germany will play an active role in finalising the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA). The trade agreement between Indonesia and the European Union is targeted to come into force on 1 January 2027.
Prabowo conveyed his hope that Germany would help smooth the implementation of IEU-CEPA during a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Jakarta. “We hope Germany will continue to play an active role in the finalisation process of the internal agreement in Europe,” Prabowo said in a joint press statement with Steinmeier at Merdeka Palace on Monday, 15 June 2026.
The Gerindra Party chairman expressed hope that IEU-CEPA could soon reach a substantive conclusion. He is confident the agreement can deliver concrete benefits for businesses in both Indonesia and Germany.
During the meeting with Steinmeier, Prabowo also discussed strengthening cooperation in the fields of economy, investment, energy transition, energy security, education, and employment. The partnership between the two countries, he said, is also carried out through the Competitiveness, Industrial Modernization, and Trade Acceleration (CITA) programme.
“We agreed to continue increasing mutually beneficial trade and investment volumes,” Prabowo stated.
Meanwhile, President Steinmeier said the IEU-CEPA agreement, which has entered the finalisation stage, holds great potential for German-Indonesian investment. With IEU-CEPA, he said, small and medium-sized enterprises from Germany have greater opportunities to invest in Indonesia. Closer cooperation between the two countries, Steinmeier remarked, will benefit each party.
President Steinmeier also highlighted several German companies that have long been present in Indonesia, such as Siemens, Daimler, and Infineon. “This shows that Indonesia is not only an attractive market but also a location for investment,” he said.
During this visit, Steinmeier said he also brought a delegation from major companies. “And efforts are being made to open new paths for renewable energy, which can only be pursued together,” he added.