United States Initiates Legal Process for New Tariffs; Indonesia Confirms Trade Agreement Commitment

Jakarta — The Indonesian government has responded to moves by the United States government to initiate administrative legal procedures regarding tariff policies affecting several countries.

Haryo Limanseto, spokesman for the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, stated that the government has received information regarding steps taken by the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

Haryo explained that the announcement remains in the early stages, consisting of notification of the commencement of administrative legal procedures within the US government.

“This announcement represents an initial notification stage of the commencement of administrative legal procedures within the United States government against several countries,” Haryo told Kompas.com on Thursday (12 March 2026).

The currently applicable tariffs remain subject to the temporary global tariff policy of the United States. This policy has been in effect for 150 days since 24 February 2026.

Indonesia-United States trade relations continue to be governed by the Agreement of Reciprocal Trade (ART) signed in February 2026. Haryo explained that this agreement is still undergoing internal legal procedure completion processes in each country before becoming fully effective.

These processes include ratification or other legal mechanisms in accordance with provisions in each country.

“The spirit of the ART agreement is the provision of reciprocal tariff treatment that is mutually beneficial to both parties,” he said.

This step was taken to replace the previous reciprocal tariff policy, which the United States Supreme Court had declared illegal. The investigation is being conducted pursuant to Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.