Remi Chauveau Notes
Indonesia and the EU are entering a new era of trade built on opportunity, green‑transition cooperation, and the shared challenge of aligning sustainability rules with economic ambition.
Technology 🚀

Indonesia–EU Trade Deal: Big Opportunities, Real Challenges

23 Septembre 2025
@balibusinessclub

🤝 Indonesia–EU Trade Deal Sealed 🌍 After nearly a decade of negotiations, Indonesia and the European Union have officially signed a major trade agreement, unlocking new opportunities for exports, jobs and investment. 💬 Do you think this deal will boost Indonesia’s position as a global export powerhouse? 👇 #balibusiness #indonesiaeconomy #tradenews #baliinvestment #indonesia #euindonesia #balifuture

♬ original sound - Bali Business Club

🎶 A Bridge of Culture, Trade, and Trust Between Nations

Just as Kau by Vidi Aldiano featuring Candra Darusman blends eras, voices, and textures into a single, seamless harmony, the Indonesia–EU trade agreement mirrors that same emotional architecture: two distinct partners learning to move in rhythm, negotiating trust, and building something larger than themselves. The song’s gentle interplay — nostalgic yet forward‑leaning — echoes the spirit of the deal, where opportunity opens like a refrain and responsibility follows like a counter‑melody. In both the music and the diplomacy, progress depends on balance: listening closely, responding with intention, and finding the shared tempo that allows a partnership to truly flourish.

🎶 🌏🤝📈🌿🔋🚚🇮🇩🇪🇺📊🔗🌐💼 🔊 Kau - Vidi Aldiano, Candra Darusman




"Kesepakatan ini membuka pintu, tapi kita tetap harus memastikan semua pihak siap melangkah," an Indonesian trade official remarked. Meaning: “This agreement opens the door, but we still need to make sure everyone is prepared to move forward.”

The newly sealed Indonesia–EU trade agreement marks a strategic moment to strengthen exports, investment, and Indonesia’s position in global supply chains.

🌏 A Landmark Agreement After Nine Years of Negotiation

Indonesia and the European Union concluded a long-awaited free trade agreement after nine years of talks, aiming to boost export flows and deepen investment ties. Both sides agreed to remove import duties on more than 90% of products, with most cuts taking effect immediately once the deal enters into force, while the remainder—including Indonesia’s 50% tariff on European cars—will be phased out over five years. With bilateral goods trade valued at $30.1 billion in 2024, Indonesia expects trade volumes to double within the first five years of implementation. The agreement signals Indonesia’s readiness to expand market access and enhance industrial competitiveness amid shifting global economic dynamics.

⚖️ Trump’s Tariffs and Europe’s Push for Diversification

Donald Trump’s re-election accelerated the EU’s efforts to forge new trade alliances to cushion the impact of U.S. tariffs and reduce reliance on China. This push includes advancing deals with Mercosur, Mexico, and India, while strengthening ties with Southeast Asian economies such as Indonesia. With Indonesian exports facing a broad 19% U.S. tariff, the agreement with the EU becomes an increasingly vital alternative route to maintain competitiveness. For Europe, the deal is expected to save exporters 600 million euros annually in Indonesian duties and expand opportunities for chemicals, machinery, automobiles, and food products.

🚚 New Export Opportunities: From Palm Oil to Textiles

Indonesia anticipates a significant boost in exports of palm oil, coffee, textiles, garments, and other key products to the European market. As the country approaches its projected transition to upper-middle-income status in 2027, securing stable preferential access becomes even more crucial. The EU, meanwhile, sees strong potential to expand its market for dairy products such as milk powder and cheese, as well as strengthen its automotive industry’s footprint in Southeast Asia. Both sides view the agreement as a foundation for deeper economic integration and broader cross-continental supply chain cooperation.

🔋 Critical Minerals and Green Technology Investment

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic emphasized that the agreement will encourage greater European investment in Indonesia, particularly in critical minerals such as nickel, copper, bauxite, and tin—materials essential for Europe’s clean tech and steel industries. Indonesia is simultaneously exploring partnerships with European automakers to develop battery and electric vehicle production, positioning the deal as a catalyst for industrial transformation. With global demand for green technologies rising, Indonesia stands to become a key player in future energy supply chains. The agreement opens the door to deeper collaboration in innovation, renewable energy, and sustainable investment.

🌿 The Major Hurdle: EU Deforestation Regulation

Although tariffs on palm oil exports to Europe will be removed, Indonesia’s palm oil sector still faces a significant challenge in the form of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The rule requires exporters to prove that shipments do not originate from land deforested after 2020—a requirement that GAPKI warns could undermine the effectiveness of the trade deal if not addressed promptly. While the EU is expected to delay EUDR implementation by one year, Indonesia must strengthen verification and traceability systems to ensure compliance. Without a comprehensive solution, non-tariff barriers may continue to threaten one of Indonesia’s most important export industries.



#TradeDeal 🌏 #IndonesiaEU 🤝 #GlobalMarkets 📈 #SustainableTrade 🌿 #EconomicPartnership 🔗

Future Indonesia–EU Relations

The Green‑Transition Alignment Insight
One of the least‑talked‑about dynamics in Indonesia–EU relations is how the president’s long‑term industrial strategy aligns almost perfectly with what the EU wants — even though both sides publicly frame the relationship as tense, especially around palm oil and deforestation rules. Behind the scenes, Indonesia’s leadership has been steering the country toward value‑added industrialization, not just raw‑material exports, and this is exactly where the EU sees its future partnerships. The president’s push for downstreaming — turning nickel into batteries, bauxite into aluminum, and copper into EV components — is not just about national pride. It’s a calculated move to make Indonesia indispensable to Europe’s green‑tech supply chain. The EU needs stable access to critical minerals, but even more importantly, it needs partners who can process them sustainably. Indonesia’s leadership understands this leverage extremely well. Indonesia isn’t just negotiating for better market access — it’s negotiating for a seat at the table in Europe’s clean‑energy future. This shift from “supplier” to “strategic co‑developer” is the real long game, and it’s already shaping how both sides design their trade commitments, investment incentives, and industrial cooperation frameworks.

Trending Now

Latest Post