Deepening our trade relationship with Indonesia

On 14 July, The UK Government took a welcome step towards deepening trade with Indonesia: The Department for Business and Trade launched a public Call for Input, alongside preparatory discussions on Indonesia’s CPTPP accession and other trade negotiations. The Indonesian Government warmly welcomes this initiative — and businesses like yours now have until 14 September 2026 to help shape the UK’s negotiating priorities.

Why respond?
• If you import: Indonesia graduates from the UK’s DCTS scheme in January 2027. Duty-free goods will face tariffs averaging 4.8% — footwear up to 16%, wood products 2–8% — costing UK importers an estimated £55–85 million a year.
• If you export: UK goods face Indonesian tariffs of 6–15%, while the Indonesia–EU CEPA will soon give EU competitors tariff-free access. An agreement would level the playing field.
• If you provide services or invest: the UK exports £1.1 billion in services to Indonesia and holds £7.1 billion in investment. An agreement could unlock new access in finance, education, healthcare and digital, with cooperation across fisheries, agri-food and green energy.

How to respond — in five minutes

The official DBT survey has just two main questions (also accessible via GOV.UK):
https://ditresearch.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_37Xf4K0lwjSt3Js

Where relevant to your priorities, you may wish to raise:
1. Transitional arrangements as UK DCTS , UK Preferential Tariff preferences conclude;
2. Support for a UK–Indonesia CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement);
3. Indonesia’s CPTPP accession alongside — not instead of — a bilateral CEPA.

Even one concrete example from your own operations carries more weight than a general statement.

Spread the word

The UK Government has said it wants views from as wide a range of respondents as possible — and the more businesses that respond, the stronger the collective case.

If you would like to know more on trading with Indonesia, join us on 30th September at Preston North End for our Global Xchange event where our guest speaker is Mr. Chris Wren, former Chief Executive of the British Chamber in Jakarta, Indonesia.

https://www.lancschamber.co.uk/events/?5EC0E39E-BC0C-453B-BCC8-3C8B690D8336