RI-Japan economic partnership agreement almost finished
Antara News (Jakarta) | 23 February 2007
RI-Japan Economic partnership agreement almost finished
Jakarta (ANTARA News) — Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said here on Thursday that negotiations on the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) were almost finished.
"It is already 90 percent finished. It is almost the final round," she said after dedicating a modern shop, "Niagamart", which belongs to the cooperative venture of her offices employees.
The only issue left was about cooperation assistance for increasing the countrys industrial capacity, she said.
"The program and pinciples of the assistance they would give to enable us to enjoy the open market are still not clear," she said.
Next week, she said, further negotiations on the EPA would be conducted with Japan in Jakarta.
She said Japan meanwhile was still awaiting the result of the discussion on the countrys draft capital investment law before it would sign the EPA with Indonesia.
Indonesia and Japan on November 28 last year signed an agreement on the EPA and agreed to try to finish the negotiations in March 2007.
The EPA is supported by three main pillars namely the opening of market access for goods and services covering the eradication of various trade barriers, non-tariff barriers, rules of origin and solution to trade problems and investment reegulations including intellectual property rights, government procurements and cooperation.
In the framework of the cooperation Indonesia has asked Japan to develop around 10 manufacturing industrial development centers (MIDEC) including automotive, electronic, construction machinery, public facilities, promotion, food and beverages, textile, small-and medium-business, steel and oleochemical and petrochemical centers.
Indonesia hopes the MIDEC could be given in the form of a grant to compensate for the opening of the countrys market for Japanese products.
