Indonesia urges EU to remove countervailing duty on biodiesel
The WTO panel had assessed that Indonesia’s export duty and export levy on palm oil could not be categorised as a subsidy, and that the EU Commission failed to prove a threat of material harm to European biodiesel producers caused by Indonesian biodiesel imports.
Hanoi (VNA) – Indonesia on August 25 urged the European Union (EU) to immediately scrap countervailing duties on imports of biodiesel, after the World Trade Organisation backed several of its key claims in a complaint to the trade body.
The Southeast Asian nation – the world's biggest palm oil exporter, had contended in its 2023 complaint that the duties levied by the EU broke the WTO's rules.
Indonesian Trade Minister Budi Santoso stressed in a statement that his country calls on the EU to immediately revoke these countervailing import duties that are not WTO-compliant.
The EU, the third-largest destination for palm oil products from Indonesia and a key market for biodiesel of this country, has imposed the duties, ranging from 8% to 18%, since 2019. The union said Indonesia's biodiesel producers benefit from grants, tax benefits and access to raw materials below market prices.
The Indonesian Ministry of Trade said that the WTO panel had assessed that Indonesia’s export duty and export levy on palm oil could not be categorised as a subsidy, and that the EU Commission failed to prove a threat of material harm to European biodiesel producers caused by Indonesian biodiesel imports. Therefore, the WTO panel determined that the countervailing duty that the EU imposed on Indonesian biodiesel was not based on objective evidence.
Indonesia's exports of palm oil-based biodiesel stood at 27,000 kilolitres (kl) in 2024, after having plunged to 36,000 kl in 2020 from 1.32 million kl in 2019.
🐷 The finding can be appealed, but no final ruling is possible since the WTO’s top appeals court is no longer operational./.
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Indonesia and the EU will open up broader access for Indonesian exports to the EU, describing it as a vast market with over 460 million people, a substantial GDP, and significant trade activity.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto described reaching a political agreement with the EU as a "breakthrough" after 10 years of negotiations, affirming that his country considers Europe a very important trading partner.
The desk will serve as a service centre providing market intelligence, business licensing guidance, facilitating business cooperation, identifying potential investment projects, and harmonising regulatory policies between the two parties.
Vietnam proposed maintaining and strengthening the role of the annual ministerial conference as a key mechanism to address common issues and develop concrete action initiatives, conducting joint in-depth research programmes on pressing topics such as smart cities, climate change adaptation, and heritage preservation in the digital environment at the 2025 China-ASEAN Ministerial Roundtable on Construction.
Under the deal, about 80% of Indonesia’s exports to the EU will see tariffs eliminated within one to two years after the agreement takes effect. This marks an important step following European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s announcement in July that the two sides had reached a 'political agreement' on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
The Indonesian Government has just unveiled a plan to roll out five priority programmes in 2025, aiming to generate more than 3 million new jobs while fostering sustainable economic growth and enhancing the competitiveness of its agro-fishery sectors.
Running through September 20, the event marks the first time an official platform has been created within the AIPA framework to connect the private sector with policymakers, aiming to discuss pressing issues such as economic growth, sustainability, digitalisation, and social inclusion.
Colonel David Dwi Martin W, Director of Training for the Indonesian Air Force, said that the exercise helps deepen ties between the two air forces while fostering mutual trust and respect between the two nations.
In its initial phase, the programme will recruit 20,000 fresh graduates. Each participant will receive a monthly stipend equal to the provincial minimum wage — currently 3.3 million IDR (200 USD) — for a six-month period.
ASEAN Express, a new cross-border freight rail service, is being hailed as a breakthrough in international rail connectivity, expected to strengthen Thailand’s and ASEAN’s economic competitiveness in the near future.
An illegal wildlife trade case involving 16 protected eagles has been busted in Central Bangka district, Bangka Belitung Islands province of Indonesia.
Singapore has been ranked fifth among 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, marking the third consecutive year it has remained in the top five.
Senior defence officials of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and the Philippines discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in defence and weapon industry at their meeting in Seoul on September 15.
From September 16, residents and visitors can enjoy a safer, cleaner, and higher-quality travel option aboard the company’s signature cyan taxis, with special promotions available for new users.
The declaration, endorsed at the ASEAN Prosecutors/Attorneys General Meeting (APAGM) in Bali, commits regional prosecutors to closer coordination in addressing transnational offenses such as online gambling, scams, corruption, money laundering, and cross-border asset smuggling.
CAMEX features 17 themed pavilions, including 10 dedicated to ASEAN member states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – as well as a regional pavilion from Guangxi, China. It also hosts a special World Halal Trade Centre and themed areas for other Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) members such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
The Indonesian government has confirmed that it will stop providing incentives for imported completely built-up (CBU) battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from 2026.
The ministry warned that the RSV can easily spread through mucus, saliva and toys around children. Currently, there is no specific treatment or RSV vaccine for children, so families were urged to take preventive measures.
Thailand has emerged as one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing markets for artificial intelligence (AI), with OpenAI reporting that weekly active users of ChatGPT in the country have quadrupled over the past year.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is driving forward the Land Bridge mega-project, valued at nearly 1 trillion THB (31.5 billion USD), to stimulate the economy and attract long-term investment.
A discussion on Vietnamese cuisine, culture and tourism was held in Tel Aviv on September 14, aiming to deepen the understanding of Vietnamese culture and promote people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and Israel, especially as the two countries expand cooperation across multiple fields.
