"We have written to the European Parliament, and to the US through the WTO to express our objection and protest so they will not continue (the policy)," the minister said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has lodged a note of protest to the World Trade Organization (WTO) against high import duties imposed by the European Union and the United States on biodiesel products.
Indonesia has an objection to the high import duties, he said after the opening of the national working meeting of the Central Executive Board of Indonesian Young Businessmen Association (Hipmi) here on Monday.
"We have written to the European Parliament, and to the US through the WTO to express our objection and protest so they will not continue (the policy)," he said.
Based on data from Trademap, since the EU imposed anti-dumping duties on Indonesias biodiesel, its exports to Europe plunged 72.34 percent to about US$9 million in 2016 from US$635 million in 2013.
The anti-dumping duties range from 8.8 percent to 23.3 percent or from 76.94 euros to 178.85 euros per ton.
"We have objection to it. We have lodged (a note of protest) in the same way as Argentina did in the past to urge (the EU) not to go ahead with the policy," he said.
Based on the results of an analysis, the Indonesian government has come to the conclusion that the WTOs Anti-Dumping Agreement (ADA) has been implemented unfairly and inconsistently.
In view of that, Indonesia has referred the issue to the WTOs Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) to settle it.
Indonesia believed that the European Commission (EC) as investigating authority has made mistakes in its methodology and calculation of normal value and profit margin, leading to the imposition of anti-dumping duties on Indonesian biodiesel producers and exporters.
Argentina also has lodged a note of protest against anti-dumping duty and the WTOs Appellate Body ruled in favor of it.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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