“As consensus reached on I-EU CEPA, it has become a momentum of strategic economic achievements for the two sides to expand market access amidst the increasingly complex geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat said in his written remarks on Monday.
He added that securing mutual commitments to seal the trade deal and strengthening the strategic partnership between Indonesia and the EU were among the deliverables of President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Brussels, Belgium, on July 12 and 13, 2025.
Indonesia welcomes the agreement reached between Prabowo and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to conclude the trade deal and sign the agreement document in September 2025, the spokesperson said.
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The consensus marks the finish line for 19 rounds of negotiations on the substance of the Indonesia-EU CEPA, which stretched for nearly a decade, he pointed out.
The other deliverables of Prabowo’s visit to Belgium included the EU decision to ease multiple-entry visas for Indonesians visiting EU countries through the “visa cascade” policy, Soemirat said.
“The visa policy is expected to bolster people-to-people relations between the people of Indonesia and the 27 member states of the European Union,” he added.
He further said he is optimistic that the new policy will benefit Indonesians visiting, engaging in business and investment cooperation, and developing personal networks in Europe.
Increased people-to-people engagement through the visa policy is also expected to have a positive impact on EU member states, the spokesperson added.
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Reporter: Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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