ASIATODAY.ID, PARIS – Indonesia is stepping up its international economic diplomacy by accelerating its bid to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) while pushing forward the ratification of the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (I-EU CEPA).
The effort will be led by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto during a strategic working visit to Paris, France, and Brussels, Belgium, from June 3 to 5, 2026. The mission is aimed at expanding market access, attracting investment, and strengthening Indonesia’s competitiveness in the global economy.
In Paris, Airlangga, who also serves as Chair of Indonesia’s National OECD Accession Team, will attend the 2026 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting.
His participation marks two years since Indonesia received its OECD Accession Roadmap in 2024 and submitted its Initial Memorandum in 2025.
Indonesia’s accession process has now entered the technical review stage, during which OECD experts and member countries assess the country’s policies, regulations, and institutional framework. The review includes questionnaires, fact-finding missions, and a series of studies examining Indonesia’s compliance with OECD standards and best practices.
The findings will be discussed across OECD committees and are expected to generate recommendations for policy and regulatory improvements that align with international standards.
Indonesia’s OECD accession process involves more than 60 national stakeholders, including government institutions, business associations, labor unions, academics, and civil society organizations.
The review covers 25 OECD committees spanning a wide range of policy areas, including investment, trade, fiscal policy, governance, anti-corruption, environmental protection, digital economy, healthcare, education, and labor.
Indonesia has drawn significant international attention as the first Southeast Asian nation to formally embark on the OECD accession process. The organization has noted an exceptionally high level of enthusiasm among member countries, many of which have offered technical assistance and cooperation to support Indonesia’s candidacy.
“We must capitalize on this momentum to secure broader support and accelerate Indonesia’s OECD membership,” Airlangga said.
During the OECD meeting, Indonesia will highlight its downstream industrialization strategy as a key policy to create added value, generate high-quality jobs, and strengthen the national economy.
Airlangga is also scheduled to serve as a keynote speaker in a session discussing the balance between industrial policy, open markets, and economic prosperity.
To further strengthen support for Indonesia’s accession, Airlangga will hold a series of bilateral meetings with ministers from several partner countries, including Australia, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Finland, and Thailand.
He is also expected to meet representatives of Business at OECD (BIAC), the organization’s principal business advisory body.
Following the Paris agenda, Airlangga will continue his visit to Brussels, Belgium, on June 5. There, he is scheduled to speak at the 2026 Brussels Economic Security Forum (BESF) and meet with senior European Union officials.
BESF is one of Europe’s leading annual forums on economic security, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, EU member states, and international partners to discuss global geoeconomic challenges and strategic cooperation.
A key objective of Indonesia’s Brussels visit is to support the ratification process of the I-EU CEPA, which was politically concluded under President Prabowo Subianto in July 2025. The Indonesian government expects the agreement to enter into force as soon as possible, paving the way for broader market access, increased trade and investment flows, and deeper economic cooperation with European Union member states.
The visit underscores Indonesia’s increasingly active and strategic role in global economic diplomacy as it seeks to foster sustainable, inclusive, and internationally competitive economic growth.
Airlangga is accompanied by Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Susiwijono Moegiarso and Deputy for International Economic Cooperation and Investment Edi Prio Pambudi. (Midwan)
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