Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, held a meeting with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, at the European Union Headquarters in Brussels on Sunday (July 13).
This meeting marked a rare and historic moment as it resulted in an agreement to conclude the negotiations on the Indonesia–European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA), which have been ongoing for over a decade.
According to an official statement from the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, prior to the meeting between President Prabowo and EU leaders, an exchange of letters and a meeting took place between the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs and the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič, at the EU headquarters.
This meeting successfully finalized all remaining substantive issues in the negotiations. As a joint commitment to concluding the final IEU-CEPA matters, both high-level officials signed and exchanged letters of appreciation and statements of commitment.
The bilateral meeting between President Prabowo and the EU leadership at the European Union Headquarters in Brussels is expected to further strengthen the already close partnership between Indonesia and the EU.
The current focus of collaboration includes several shared priorities such as trade and investment, environment and climate change, energy transition and sustainable development, as well as regional and multilateral cooperation.
In his meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, both leaders delivered a joint press statement reaffirming the commitment of Indonesia and the EU to deepen their strategic partnership, accelerate the conclusion of the IEU-CEPA, enhance economic and energy cooperation, and support global peace efforts and greater people-to-people mobility.
President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Indonesia and the EU have reached a political agreement to advance the IEU-CEPA free trade deal. “Together, we send a strong message about a predictable and sustainable long-term partnership,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
President Prabowo welcomed the progress and expressed optimism that the IEU-CEPA would be finalized soon. “We have agreed to sign the CEPA. We have achieved many agreements that will accommodate each side’s economic interests,” President Prabowo stated.
He further emphasized that Indonesia views Europe as a highly important partner and hopes for a stronger European presence and greater participation in Indonesia’s national economy.
President von der Leyen also proposed elevating bilateral relations between Indonesia and the EU to a strategic partnership level, reflecting a long-term commitment based on trust, mutual benefit, and reciprocity.
This move is also expected to strengthen ongoing cooperation under the EU–ASEAN framework. Additionally, she announced a new policy in the form of a cascade visa system aimed at easing access for Indonesian citizens to the Schengen area.
As outlined in the Joint Press Statement, President Prabowo’s visit to the EU Headquarters serves as a crucial moment to chart a new political direction and accelerate the conclusion of IEU-CEPA negotiations. The visit also aims to encourage a more structured and intensive expansion of cooperation in other sectoral areas.
President Prabowo was accompanied by Minister of Trade Budi Santoso, Minister of Investment and Downstreaming / Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Rosan Roeslani, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya. (*)
