Negotiations between the EFTA States and Indonesia on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) concluded in principle

From left: Martin Zbinden, Director, EFTA Secretariat, Patrick Ritter, Liechtenstein Chief Negotiator, Sondang Anggraini, Senior Official, Ministry of Trade, Indonesia, Muliaman Dharmansyah Hadad, Indonesian Ambassador to Switzerland, Markus Schlagenhof, Swiss Chief Negotiator & EFTA Spokesperson, Soemadi D.M. Brotodiningrat, Chief Negotiator, Indonesia, Ni Made Ayu Marthini, Deputy Chief Negotiator, Indonesia, Andri Júlíusson, Chief Negotiator Iceland, Ove Christian Owe, Chief Negotiator Norway

A wrap-up meeting for the negotiations between the EFTA States and Indonesia on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) took place in Bali, Indonesia, from 29 October to 1 November. Ambassador Soemadi D.M. Brotodiningrat headed the Indonesian delegation while Ambassador Markus Schlagenhof from Switzerland acted as the EFTA Spokesperson.

The meeting allowed delegations to conclude the CEPA negotiations in principle, with some follow-up work on a limited number of issues as well as the legal review of some texts of the Agreement still pending. Delegations agreed to aim at completing the follow-up work and the legal review in the next few weeks, with the aim to allow an early signing of the CEPA.

Negotiations towards a CEPA were launched in July 2010, with the first round held early 2011 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Merchandise trade between the EFTA States and Indonesia amounted to USD 2.3 billion in 2017. The EFTA States exported goods worth USD 597 million, with the leading exports being machinery and mechanical appliances, pharmaceutical products and mineral fuels. EFTA imported goods worth USD 1.7 billion in 2017, with gold as the most significant import, followed by footwear and electrical machinery.

Further information on EFTA-Indonesia trade can be found with the EFTA Trade Statistics Tool.