Written by: Maylany Ika Putri
YOGYAKARTA- On Thursday, 15 September 2016, International Relations Student (KOMAHI) Universitas Gadjah Mada held a seminar on Indonesia and European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IE-CEPA), entitled “A Step Forward Enhancing Reciprocal EU-Indonesia Economic Partnership”. This seminar was a kick-off event of the annual event by KOMAHI, Gadjah Mada Diplomatic Course (Gama DC), which runs on 15-17 September 2016 at Jogjakarta Plaza Hotel. This year, Gama DC becomes a collaboration project between KOMAHI, Institute of International Studies (IIS) UGM and European Union Delegation to Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam.
This seminar invited two honourable speakers from different background. From practitioner point of view, we had Ms. Dewi Gustina Tobing, Director for American and European Intra-Regional Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. And from scholar’s point of view, we gladly had Mr. Yulius Purwadi Hermawan, professor from Universitas Katolik Parahyangan Bandung, as well as a member of Indonesian Community for European Studies (ICES).
The discussion was very fruitful, delivered by the respective speakers and moderated by Suci Lestari Yuana, lecturer of International Relations Department UGM. The seminar was initially opened with the welcoming speeches from Tunggul Wicaksono (Head of the Gama DC committee) and Dr. Poppy Sulistyaning Winanti (Head of International Relations Department UGM).
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On that occasion, Ms. Dewi pointed out comprehensively on the cooperation of Indonesia and the EU, the purpose and main principles of IE-CEPA, the elements of it, and the development of negotiation preparation on IE-CEPA. According to her, the kick-off discussion of IE-CEPA will begin next week in Brussels.
Indonesia and EU have become important trading partners to each other for years. With the establishment of CEPA, it is hoped that the market access for good, service, and investment between Indonesia and the EU will increase. “Investment is a private sector. However, it is important for the government to be involved in the regulation process to ensure the security of national economy”, she said.
Regarding the small and medium industries (IKM), the formation of CEPA is aimed to bolster the facilitation and promotion of IKM’s trade between two parties. Furthermore, the purpose of CEPA is also to boost the competitiveness as well as give the contribution to sustainable development, especially the enhancement on the “green growth”.
Meanwhile, Mr. Purwadi explained more on developing the common ground for mutual cooperation between Indonesia and the EU and the question of asymmetric interdependence. The complex interdependency between EU and Indonesia has resulted in the condition of vulnerability in each party, in terms of losing their strategic partner in many layers of cooperation. Therefore, the negotiation of CEPA is seen as a beginning step for deeper cooperation that hopefully will result on mutual benefit.
“EU must be seen and treated as an equal partner, not as a patron”, Mr. Purwadi insisted. Given the position of Indonesia that still ranks as the fifth largest partner from Southeast Asia for EU, CEPA is seen as an important framework to boost EU-Indonesia’s trade which is currently on stagnancy. Mr. Purwadi added that, “Having CEPA agreement is better than no.”
For Gama DC event itself, today (16/09), the agenda continues with Model on European Union (MEU) for two days and also Table Manner in the last day.