After a bilateral meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa in Brussels, Belgium, on Sunday, President Subianto described the agreement as a breakthrough, noting that there are no longer any issues hindering the partnership.
"(This is) extraordinary, a major breakthrough. After 10 years of negotiations, today, we have achieved a breakthrough. We have resolved all the issues," Subianto remarked during a press statement, as broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel in Jakarta, early Monday morning.
Subianto noted that the European Union (EU) region is a large trading market with a population of 460 million, while Indonesia has 287 million, bringing the combined population to over 740 million.
According to the president, the partnership between Indonesia and the EU through the IEU-CEPA is a historic milestone.
He considered that the new partnership offers Indonesia an alternative trade market amid ongoing global uncertainty.
"Their total GDP is very large, and their trade volume is also significant, so thank God, this is a historic event. We face global uncertainty, and now we have strong alternatives," he remarked.
In his remarks during a joint press conference, Subianto expressed appreciation for the efforts of cabinet ministers and commissioners from both sides, ensuring all key issues between the EU and Indonesia have been settled.
He also expressed hope that the IEU-CEPA partnership would be signed soon as a symbol of a strong relationship.
"The signing, of course, takes time. Hopefully, it will happen soon," he remarked.
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Translator: Mentari Dwi Gayati, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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