"The aim of this policy is to uphold fairness and encourage the production process at home."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said that the government`s new regulations prohibited importers from having more than one Licensed Importer`s Number (API) as part of an attempt to impose order on the importation process in the country.
"The aim of this policy is to uphold fairness and encourage the production process at home. It is also aimed at increasing supervision over importation activities and improving the credibility of importers," he stated here on Thursday.
Bayu noted that the provision regarding the API was regulated by the Trade Minister`s Decree No. 27/ 2012 on the Import License Number.
With the issuance of the new decree, old decrees - namely the Trade Minister`s Decree No. 134/1996 and the Trade Minister`s Decree No. 45/2009 - are revoked and declared no longer effective.
According to Bayu, the essence of the new decree - the Trade Minister`s Decree No. 27/2012 - was that each company willing to become an importer must have only one API, of which there are two categories: general API (API-U) and producer API (API-P).
The deputy minister explained that an API-U holder was only allowed to import goods registered under one section of the goods classifications.
"Up to now, Indonesia is importing up to 8,000 types of goods which are classified into 21 groups of goods," he noted.
As an example, the deputy minister clarified that an importer who has been importing motor vehicles will no longer be allowed to import foods or textiles.
In the meantime, an API-P holder is allowed to import capital goods, raw materials and auxiliary goods which are related to the production process of the company concerned.
In addition, API-P holders are allowed to import finished goods for two purposes, namely, goods needed to test the domestic market and products intended as complementary goods.
(Uu.A014/INE/KR-BSR/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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