Jakarta, IO – Asean foreign ministers protested European Union’s (EU) decision in enacting the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) which seeks to restrict palm oil exports from Asean to Europe. Indonesia is one of the most-impacted countries.
According to the Foreign Ministry’s (Kemlu) website, Friday (14/7), at the Asean-EU Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) meeting in Jakarta, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi expressed Asean’s concerns over the implementation of EUDR.
Retno explained that this regulation can hinder the exports of ASEAN countries into the European Union market. In fact, the two regions have great trade potential with around 450 million consumers in the European Union and 650 million consumers in Asean. She emphasized that this potential should not be impeded by policies that restrict trade, especially the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the European Union Enforcement Regulation (EUER).
Furthermore, Retno noted that Asean and EU must continue to build inclusive and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. Thus, both must seek joint solutions through mechanisms such as the Asean-EU Joint Working Group on Palm Oil.
“Indonesia hopes that the ASEAN-EU strategic cooperation can be strengthened based on the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit,” she said.
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EUDR officially took effect on May 16. It requires every exporter to submit due diligence and verification documents. The regulation aims to guarantee that products do not come from areas resulting from deforestation.
Previously, Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto estimated that the losses that Indonesia could incur due to the policy is US$7 billion (Rp105.58 trillion). (bp)