SIARAN PERS
DEPARTEMEN PERDAGANGAN REPUBLIK INDONESIA
Pusat HUMAS Departemen Perdagangan Jl. M.I Ridwan Rais No. 5, Jakarta 10110 Tel: 021-3858216, 23528400. Fax: 021-23528456 www.depdag.go.id
Pertemuan Para Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN ke-40 :
Mendag Bahas Akses Pasar Dengan New Zealand dan Australia Singapura, 28 Agustus 2008 – Di sela-sela forum AEM ke-40 yang sekarang telah memasuki hari ketiga, Menteri Perdagangan Mari Elka Pangestu kemarin melakukan pertemuan bilateral dengan New Zealand dan Australia setelah sebelumnya melakukan pertemuan dengan India dan Singapura. Pokok bahasan pada pertemuan tersebut terkait negosiasi ASEAN-Australia- New Zealand FTA. Dalam pertemuan dengan New Zealand, kedua pihak membahas akses pasar produk daging dan susu yang merupakan sektor sensitif di Indonesia sekaligus sebagai komoditi ekspor utama New Zealand. Secara prinsip kedua pihak mencapai kesepakatan mengenai eliminasi tarif bea masuk ke-12 komoditi tersebut, namun kerangka waktu eliminasi akan dibahas lebih lanjut. Sedangkan pertemuan bilateral dengan Australia, mengangkat pokok bahasan utama terkait akses pasar komoditi sektor otomotif sebagaimana permintaan industri di Australia. Pertemuan belum berhasil mencapai kesepakatan mengenai kerangka waktu walaupun Indonesia bersedia mengeliminasi pada tahun 2020. Disepakati untuk membahas hal tersebut lebih lanjut. Perkembangan Pertemuan AEM ke – 40 Rabu (27/08) adalah pertemuan lanjutan antara para Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN dengan ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC), dan US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC). Pertemuan dengan manajemen ABAC. Manajemen ABAC menginformasikan berbagai kegiatan besar yag akan dilakukan ABAC dalam tahun 2008, yaitu menggelar ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ASEAN-BIS) pada tanggal 13-15 Desember 2008 di Bangkok. Kegiatan tersebut dimaksudkan sebagai media atau sarana dalam melakukan komunikasi antara Kamar Dagang dan Industri ASEAN, ASEAN Business Advisory Council, pelaku bisnis, asosiasi-asosiasi bisnis, serta media dalam upaya membangun Masyarakat Ekonomi ASEAN. Beberapa proyek yang telah dibuat oleh ABAC adalah ASEAN Green Lane, yaitu project untuk memfasilitasi kelancaran arus barang antar ASEAN, ASEAN Retail Chain and Franchise untuk mempromosikan produk-produk ASEAN yang terintegrasi dengan kegiatan Pariwisata dan Investasi, ASEAN Hotel Budget Chain yang sedang dilakukan untuk mendorong peningkatan Usaha Kecil Menengah dan Mikro. Berbagai tanggapan yang selama ini disampaikan oleh Para Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN atas kinerja ABAC di antaranya berasal dari Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, dan Myanmar. Pada intinya, harapan Para Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN adalah agar ABAC dapat semakin berperan secara konkrit dalam mengimplementasikan AEC Blueprint, khususnya terkait dengan peningkatan peranan SMEs di ASEAN.
Menteri Perdagangan RI, Mari Elka Pangestu, pada kesempatan pertemuan dengan ABAC mengharapkan agar eksistensi dan peranan ABAC dapat semakin ditingkatkan agar dapat mewujudkan Masyarakat Ekonomi ASEAN tahun 2015, di antaranya melalui usulan konkrit dalam mengimplementasikan AEC Blueprint, serta peningkatan kerjasama dengan Chamber of Commerce/Industry di setiap negara anggota ASEAN. Para Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN juga menegaskan kembali bahwa peranan ABAC sangat dibutuhkan dalam melaksanakan AEC Blueprint dalam pencapaian tujuan AEC tahun 2015, terutama terkait dengan pemanfaatan AEC Scorecard sebagai masukan bagi ABAC. ABAC menyampaikan kesediaannya untuk membantu mengimplementasikan AEC Blueprint dan menyambut baik seluruh masukan yang disampaikan Para Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN dalam mewujudkan AEC tahun 2015. Pertemuan dengan manajemen US – ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC). Berbagai masukan dan harapan disampaikan oleh Para Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN terkait dengan peranan US – ABC dalam peningkatan arus perdagangan dan arus investasi di kedua kawasan. “Indonesia mengusulkan agar dilakukan joint promotion untuk mempromosikan AEC Blueprint, khususnya kepada pelaku bisnis di Amerika Serikat, sehingga peningkatan arus perdagangan dan arus investasi diharapkan dapat berlangsung terus menerus dan meningkat di kedua kawasan di masa mendatang”, jelas Mendag seusai pertemuan. Atas pandangan dan respons dari Para Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN, US-ABC menyambut baik AEC Blueprint sebagai platform dalam menjalankan bisnis di kedua kawasan. Para Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN juga menginformasikan bahwa berbagai dokumen hukum penting dapat dimanfatkan oleh US-ABC untuk memberikan kepastian hukum dalam peningkatan arus perdagangan dan arus investasi di kedua kawasan, antara lain pembentukan mekanisme AEC Scorecard, ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) dan ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA), yang akan disahkan dan ditandatangani oleh Para Menteri Ekonomi ASEAN pada saat ASEAN Summit bulan Desember 2008 di Bangkok, Thailand. ---selesai--Info lebih lanjut, hubungi: Srie Agustina Kepala Pusat Hubungan Masyarakat Departemen Perdagangan Telp: 021 – 3858216, 23528400. Fax: 021-23528456 Email:
[email protected] [email protected] Iman Pambagyo Direktur Kerjasama Regional Ditjen Kerjasama Internasional Departemen Perdagangan Email :
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THE SIXTH AEM-INDIA CONSULTATIONS 28 August 2008, Singapore
JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT 1.
The Sixth Consultations between the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM)
and the Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of India (6th AEM-India Consultations) was held in Singapore on 28 August 2008. The Consultations was co-chaired by H.E. Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore and H.E. Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce and Industry of India.
2.
The annual consultations provided the opportunity for Ministers to exchange
views on issues and developments affecting global and regional trade, particularly those that are significant to the bilateral trade between ASEAN and India.
3.
The Ministers noted that, despite the challenges prevailing in global and
regional trade, ASEAN-India bilateral trade continues to grow at impressive rates. From 2005-2007, trade in goods between ASEAN and India increased at an average annual rate of 28 percent. ASEAN exports to India during the same period grew at an annual rate of 31 percent on average, the fastest among ASEAN’s exports to major trading partners. The share of ASEAN-India trade in relation to total ASEAN trade continued to increase and India remains ASEAN’s seventh largest trading partner. On the investment side, in 2007, India’s Foreign Direct Investment to ASEAN, valued at USD 641 million, was the highest ever recorded since 2000.
4.
The Ministers announced the conclusion of the ASEAN-India Free Trade
Agreement (AIFTA) negotiations for trade-in-goods. The Ministers were pleased that, despite the difficult issues in the negotiations, both sides were able to reach an agreement on the modality for tariff reduction and/or elimination, which is among the key elements that will facilitate the creation of an open market in a
region comprising about 1.7 billion people and with a combined gross domestic product of approximately USD 2,381 billion as of 2007. The Ministers viewed that the AIFTA could be a major avenue in harnessing the region’s vast economic potentials towards sustained progress and improved welfare not only for ASEAN and India but for the greater East Asian region as well.
5.
The Ministers agreed that officials finalise the text of the ASEAN-India
Trade in Goods Agreement in time for signing during the ASEAN-India Summit in December 2008, together with the ASEAN-India Agreement on Dispute Settlement Mechanism.
The Ministers agreed to target implementation of tariff reduction
commitments starting 1 January 2009.
6.
The Ministers also instructed officials to commence, as soon as possible,
negotiations on trade in services and investment as a single undertaking, and to work towards the conclusion of substantive discussions on these two agreements by 2009 to bring about a complete ASEAN-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
7.
The Ministers also took stock of the latest developments in the Doha Round
and emphasised that a stronger multilateral trading system would benefit all Members, especially the developing countries.
Since the Doha Round is a
Development Round, the developing countries have a special stake in its successful conclusion. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to active and constructive engagement in the negotiations to bring about balanced and ambitious outcomes in all areas, especially in agriculture, NAMA and services.
8.
The Ministers assured Lao PDR of their continued support in her accession
to the WTO.
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LIST OF MINISTERS
1.
H.E. Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng, Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Brunei Darussalam
2.
H.E. Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce, Cambodia
3.
H.E. Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce and Industry, India
4.
H.E. Mari Elka Pangestu, Minister of Trade, Indonesia
5.
H.E. Nam Viyaketh, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Lao PDR
6.
H.E. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Minister of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia
7.
H.E. U Soe Tha, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development, Myanmar
8.
H.E. Peter B. Favila, Secretary of Trade and Industry, the Philippines
9.
H.E. Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore
10.
H.E. Pichet Tanchareon, Deputy Minister of Commerce, Thailand (representing H.E. Chaiya Sasomsub, Minister of Commerce, Thailand)
11.
H.E. Nguyen Cam Tu, Vice Minister, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Viet Nam (representing H.E. Vu Huy Hoang, Minister of Industry and Trade, Viet Nam)
12.
H.E. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN
THE THIRTEENTH AEM-CER CONSULTATIONS Singapore, 28 August 2008
JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT 1.
The Thirteenth Consultations between the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) and
the Ministers of Australia and New Zealand (Closer Economic Relations – CER) (13th AEM-CER Consultations) was held in Singapore on 28 August 2008. The Consultations was chaired by H.E. Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore; the Honorable Simon Crean, Minister for Trade of Australia; and the Honorable Phil Goff, Minister of Trade of New Zealand.
ASEAN-Australia and New Zealand FTA
2.
The Ministers welcomed the conclusion of the negotiations between ASEAN,
Australia and New Zealand for the AANZFTA Agreement, which started in March 2005. They commended the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Trade Negotiating Committee (AANZTNC) and its Working Groups for completing the negotiations and forging a comprehensive single undertaking FTA Agreement between ASEAN and CER. Commitments were given to resolve a small number of bilateral market access issues between certain parties.
3.
The Ministers noted that the Agreement is an important milestone in the long-
standing ASEAN-CER comprehensive partnership. As a living document, the Agreement brings to a new height the level of cooperation and relationship between the governments of ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand as well as its peoples.
4.
The Ministers see the Agreement as paving the way to enhancing the region’s
economic integration and acting as an impetus to deepen and broaden the trade and investment among the twelve participating countries. The Ministers noted that the Agreement is comprehensive in scope covering trade in goods, investments, trade in
services, financial services, telecommunications, electronic commerce, movement of natural persons, intellectual property, competition policy and economic cooperation.
5.
The Ministers noted that further steps have to be taken by the participating
countries leading to the signing of the Agreement by December 2008. As a next step, the Ministers noted that participating countries have to collectively undertake the legal verification of the final Agreement, and thereafter, commence their respective domestic approval process for signing.
ASEAN-CER Trade and Investment Relations
6.
The Ministers noted the continuing growth in trade and nvestment 2007 between
ASEAN and CER. The Ministers noted that ASEAN’s total merchandise trade in goods with CER increased from USD 41.0 in 2006 to USD 47.8 billion in 2007. The year-on-year growth of 16.6 percent is attributed to the strong performance of exports. ASEAN exports grew from USD 26.2 billion in 2006 to USD 31.0 billion in 2007, representing a growth from 17.5 percent to 18.4 percent. ASEAN imports from CER have consistently maintained its growth rate of 13.4 percent in the last two years, increasing from USD 14.8 in 2006 to USD 16.8 billion in 2007. These developments resulted to a wider ASEAN trade surplus with CER, which reached USD 14.2 billion in 2007 from USD 11.4 billion in 2006.
7.
The Ministers noted that CER’s total flows of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to
ASEAN also surged to USD 1.1 billion in 2007-the highest recorded value of investment inflows from CER since 1995.
World Trade Organization
8.
The Ministers noted the developments in the Doha Round of multilateral trade
negotiations following the WTO Mini-Ministerial Meeting held in Geneva in July 2008. The Ministers shared a common view to preserving the progress so far achieved in the negotiations, and expressed that the Members of the WTO should continue and engage in dialogues to find a way forward to completing the negotiations.
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
9.
The Ministers were pleased to note the outcome of the Meeting of APEC Ministers
Responsible for Trade held in Arequipa, Peru on 31 May 5 to 1 June 2008 and looked forward to a successful APEC Leaders’ Week scheduled to be held in Lima, Peru on 16-23 November 2008.
Recognition of Full Market Economy Status of Viet Nam 10.
The Ministers welcomed the announcement by Australia and New Zealand of the
substantive conclusion of the process for recognizing Viet Nam’s Market Economy Status and confirmation of the required domestic approval processes. This would strengthen economic and trade relation between all parties. The ASEAN Ministers encouraged the early confirmation by other countries of Viet Nam’s full market economy status.
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