Indonesia Poised to Seal EU Trade Deal After 9 Years

Indonesia is nearing the completion of its protracted free trade talks with the European Union, aiming to finalize discussions by June 2025 after nine years at the negotiating table.

Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto expressed confidence in reaching a conclusion following his meeting with EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Brussels. While substantial progress was cited, specific agreements remain undisclosed at this time.

The EU stands as a pivotal trading partner for Indonesia, a country actively seeking market diversification in light of ongoing U.S. tariff challenges. The negotiations have been partly driven by disagreements on EU rules regarding deforestation-linked products and Indonesia's raw mineral export policies.

(With inputs from agencies.)