The visit of Director-General for Environment from the European Commission aims to strengthen cooperation between the European Union and Indonesia in the field of environment. One of the main objectives of this visit is to follow up on the visit of Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, to Brussels last month, as well as to implement EU regulations related to specific commodities associated with deforestation and forest degradation. The European Commission and the Indonesian government discussed the establishment of an Ad-Hoc Task Force to support the implementation of EU Deforestation regulations in the spirit of cooperation to enhance dialogue on deforestation-free and traceable supply chains. The bilateral efforts complement the existing multi-stakeholder deforestation platform of the European Union. The Ad-Hoc Task Force will assess the situation for all commodities covered by these new EU regulations and focus on specific challenges and solutions, particularly regarding the involvement and traceability of smallholder farmers, as well as potential improvements and traceability schemes that can facilitate cooperation with deforestation-free supply chains.
Throughout the discussions, Director-General Fink-Hooijer shared perspectives and policy progress of the European Union and gained insights into cooperation with Indonesia in key sectors, such as the implementation of Circular Economy and participation in the implementation of the agreed Global Biodiversity Framework at COP15 last December. Director-General Fink-Hooijer also announced the EU's support for Indonesia's leadership in the World Water Forum to be held in Bali in May 2024. In a session held together with the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN member states, both parties launched the ASEAN Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform with the aim of promoting cooperation and exchange of best practices in the Circular Economy in the region. The Director-General also interacted with the environmental community in Indonesia and participated in a beach cleaning activity on Rambut Island.
