To benefit from the single ASEAN market, the government would assist small and medium entrepreneurs who were ready to export their commodities by providing them with financing, she said at the Jakarta Convention Hall on Sunday.
"The aid will certainly be adjusted to the financing standard and small and medium entrepreneurs must understand the standard to penetrate ASEAN market," she said.
ASEAN member states have committed themselves to implement a single ASEAN market in 2015.
The trade minister said some time ago the ASEAN single market had already been formed in 2002 and was now embarking towards the next stage of ASEAN economic community formation.
"In market terms the single market has actually been implemented as of 2002," she said.
She said 99 percent import tariffs in ASEAN member states had been nil percent so that there was no longer any trade barrier.
She said right now ASEAN countries were moving towards the next stage of establishing an ASEAN Economic Community, particularly with regard to standardization and investment.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
In total, the ASEAN member states have a population of more than 550 million.(*)
(S012/H-NG/S012)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
