By Stefanno Sulaiman
JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesia will ease import restrictions and rules on many goods and raw materials in a bid to make it easier to do business in the country, ministers said on Monday, ahead of the July 9 deadline for tariff negotiations set by the United States.
While Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s largest economy, traders have historically complained about excessive red tape. The matter was also highlighted in a recent report by the U.S. Trade Representative on foreign trade barriers.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, speaking at an event, said the policy actions would affect 10 groups of commodities.
Indonesia Trade Minister Budi Santoso said restrictions would be eased on a number of products including those in the categories of fertilizers, forestry and plastics. He said the new policy would create more certainty for businesses by eliminating overlapping rules.
The easing of import requirements and restrictions will also help industry players who have been asking for an easier way to import raw materials, Indonesia Deputy Industry Minister Faisol Reza told a press conference.
The Trump administration imposed a 32% tariff on Indonesian goods in his drive to end U.S. trade deficits with countries worldwide. The U.S. goods trade deficit with Indonesia was $17.9 billion in 2024, according to the U.S. Trade Representative.
(Reporting by Stefanno Sulaiman; Writing by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by David Stanway)
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