Jakarta – Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) has criticized the European Union (EU) for being not consistent with its policies to protect environment and tackle the climate change problems under the framework of European Green Deal (EGD).
Zulhas said the EU has rejected the palm oil and coffee as they consider the commodities harmful to the environment, but in the meantime they purchase coal, which is not environmentally friendly and highly contributes to the carbon emissions.
“The EU is not consistent with its environment policies. They say coffee and palm oil harmful to the environment, but then they import coal from us. Are coffee and palm oil more harmful than coal to the environment? No consistency. Our tuna export is charged 20% tax. But our illegal tuna is also well accepted. So, it depends on their interests,” he said during the seminar on “Food Agri Insight on Location” in Jakarta on Tuesday, 01 July 2023.
The minister reiterated his strong disapproval against the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which unfairly restricts the exports of palm oil, coffee, cocoa, clove, woods, rubber, and other derivative products.
He said that the EU policy is potential to hinder trade and harm the interest of Indonesian smallholders.
“Our exports to the EU in 2022 for palm oil, rubber, coffee, cocoa, and woods are valued at US$7.2 billion, and involve around 8 million smallholders. We realize that this is not an easy task to fight against the regulation. But trade ministry will keep trying to protect our national interest, including the interest of our smallholders,” said Zulhas.
According to him, the trade ministry will take measurable steps to secure the interest of the Indonesian people. “The government will continue raising objections to the EU, including through the forum of the 16th session of Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (I-EU CEPA), which will be held in EU in the near future. We hope the EU will keep opening its market for Indonesia,” he said.
He said that the Indonesian government has been also continually voicing a concern on the negative impacts caused by the EU policies and asking for a clarification on the implementation of the EUDR which gives rise to multiple interpretations at multilateral forum.
But he also stated that despite various harmful policies of EU, Indonesia has never banned the products of EU to enter its domestic market. (*)
Source: sawitku.id
