On Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held a press briefing with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto after President Trump announced a 30% tariff on the European Union.
00:00reached a political agreement on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
00:05President, the floor is yours.
00:09Yes, thank you.
00:10Dear Mr. President, it's a great pleasure to welcome you here in the Berlimont in Brussels.
00:17This is our first meeting here in Brussels and hopefully one of many to come
00:22because Europe and Indonesia have a lot in common.
00:27We are both vibrant and diverse democracies.
00:31As a matter of fact, we found out that Indonesia's national motto is unity and diversity.
00:37One of our core sentences in the European Union is united in diversity.
00:43So we share common values and ambitions.
00:46For example, we are both committed to a clean energy transition that leaves no one behind.
00:51And I'm so glad that our just energy transition partnership is a success.
00:58Mr. President, we're living in turbulent times.
01:02And when economic uncertainty meets geopolitical volatility, partners like us must come closer together.
01:11So today we're taking a big step forward in this partnership.
01:15And we're doing so in three key areas.
01:19The first is trade.
01:21I am very pleased to report that we have just reached a political agreement on an ambitious free trade agreement.
01:31It's a comprehensive economic partnership agreement.
01:34We call it CEPA.
01:34After 10 years of negotiations, we have achieved a breakthrough.
01:43So, Mr. President, I want to thank you for your leadership.
01:48Together we are sending a strong message about the importance of predictable long-term partnerships.
01:54Partnerships that are built on trust, reciprocity, transparency, and shared values.
02:02This new trade agreement will bring great opportunities to both our people.
02:08Indonesia is one of the largest economies in the world, with a GDP of 1.2 trillion euros.
02:15It is a leading supplier of goods that are vital for the digital and green transition.
02:22And it represents a growing market of over 287 million people.
02:29Together we represent a market of 730 million people.
02:33Indonesia is also the ASEAN country with the largest economy.
02:40But today it is only the European Union's fifth trade partner in the region.
02:46And the European Union's fifth largest recipient of foreign direct investment among the ASEAN countries.
02:53So, there is a lot of untapped potential in our trade relationship.
02:59And therefore, this agreement comes at the right time.
03:02Because the new agreement will open new markets.
03:07It will create more opportunities in key industries.
03:11Business, active in agriculture, in automotive, and in services will massively benefit from it.
03:18This agreement will also help strengthen the supply chains of critical raw materials.
03:23That we need to power the clean and the digital transition.
03:27We want not only a secure supply, but we want responsible supply.
03:36This we have in common.
03:37That means respect for the environment, respect for the local communities, and a clear focus on good jobs and local value creation.
03:47This is the European way of doing business, and you can count on us.
03:52My second point is on geopolitics and security.
03:55In times of global challenges like these partners must strengthen their ties, Europe and Indonesia share a deep commitment to peace, to stability, and a rules-based international order.
04:10So, today we discussed raising our relationship to a level of a strategic partnership.
04:17This would mean a long-term commitment based on trust, reciprocity, and mutual benefit.
04:25And it would complement the important work we are doing together as part of the EU-ASEAN relations.
04:33So, we've launched the discussion, and I sincerely hope we'll reach this important milestone together.
04:40My third and last point is on the connection between our people.
04:45They should be the first to benefit from our stronger ties.
04:49So, I'm pleased to announce that the European Commission has adopted a decision on a visa cascade.
04:56It means that from now on, Indonesian nationals visiting the European Union for a second time will be eligible for multi-entry Schengen visa.
05:09This will make it easier to visit, but also to invest, to study, and to connect.
05:14In short, we're building a bridge between our societies.
05:19Mr. President, thank you again for coming.
05:22The message we sent today is powerful and clear.
05:24In hard times, some turn inwards towards isolation and fragmentation.
05:31Europe and Indonesia are choosing a different path, one of openness, partnership, and shared opportunities.
05:39Now, I look forward to swiftly concluding the free trade agreement.
05:43You are always welcome here, and you can count on Europe.
05:46Thank you very much.
05:47Thank you, Your Excellency.
05:53Madam President Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen.
06:01First of all, it's a great honour for me to be here, to be received by the European Commission.
06:11And I would like once again to apologise for visiting you on a Sunday.
06:19I know this is a very out of the ordinary, so this is a really great honour that you give me, and also a great sacrifice.
06:36But I think this also shows the importance that we attach to the relationship between Indonesia and the European Union.
06:45I would like to say that today we have achieved a breakthrough.
06:55After 10 years of negotiations, we have concluded the agreement to have a comprehensive economic partnership agreement,
07:08which basically is a free trade agreement, we have achieved many, many agreements, basically,
07:21that we will accommodate each other's economic interests, and we find them basically mutually symbiotic.
07:31Europe is a leader in science, technology, finance, we have critical resources.
07:42So the partnership between Europe and Indonesia, Indonesia also being a large part of ASEAN,
07:51I think this will be a very, very, very important contribution to economic and geopolitical stability in the world.
08:06We consider Europe to be very important for us.
08:11That's why we would like to see more European presence and more European participation in our economy.
08:23And I'm very happy to see our respective ministers and commissioners achieving, I would say, strategic breakthroughs,
08:37breakthroughs, so that basically we have no item of disagreement between EU and Indonesia, right?
08:47That's basically the conclusion that we have today.
08:50So I'm very happy.
08:53I think in this era of instability or confusion, I think we are setting a right example.
09:03Once again, please be assured that we in Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia,
09:14we really consider Europe to be very, very important in providing global stability.
09:24Europe is still, in our opinion, a leader in many, many aspects of modern life.
09:35We still look towards Europe.
09:38Maybe not many of us would like to admit it openly, but I am here.
09:43I admit openly we would like to see a stronger Europe, and we want to work with Europe.
09:49So I think, basically, that is what I would like to say, and I hope when we implement these agreements,
09:57we can sign the implementation agreement, if possible, here in Brussels again.
10:05That gives me another chance to visit Brussels.
10:08Thank you very much, Your Excellency.
10:11This is a happy day for me.
10:12Thank you very much.
10:13Thank you very much to both.
10:23We will now be ready to take a couple of questions, given the interest in this matters.
10:27Christian, you have the floor first.
10:30Thanks a lot.
10:31Christian Feld, ARD, German Television.
10:32It's a question to President von der Leyen on President Trump's letter.
10:37Tomorrow, the first set of countermeasures will kick in that were suspended.
10:43Of course, you have to synchronize with the member states, but what is the Commission's position on that?
10:48Keep them suspended until August or let them come into effect?
10:52Thanks a lot.
10:53Yes, indeed.
10:54The United States have sent us a letter with measures that would come into effect,
11:00unless there is a negotiated solution.
11:02So we will, therefore, also extend the suspension of our countermeasures until early August.
11:10And at the same time, we will continue to prepare further countermeasures, so we are fully prepared.
11:15Very important in this is always the second and the third element.
11:21The second element is to diversify our trade relationships.
11:24So this big and important political agreement on a free trade agreement with Indonesia is today a huge milestone forward
11:34and shows that we are looking for new market, open market.
11:37And the third element, of course, is working on the single market itself,
11:43deepening the single market because this is our safe harbor.
11:46Thank you, Mr. President, do you want to add?
11:52No?
11:53Then we will take a second question.
11:56Second question, Francesca.
11:59Madam President, Francesca Basso, Corriere della Sera.
12:04You received the letter from U.S.
12:07You always choose the dialogue as a strategy, but apparently it's not paying off.
12:17So what is your reaction to this letter that has some strong tone?
12:27So we have, as you know, a two-track approach.
12:30It's very important.
12:31We have always been very clear that we prefer a negotiated solution.
12:37This remains the case, and we will use the time that we have now till the 1st of August.
12:44And on the second track, since the very beginning, we have worked and now are ready to respond with countermeasures.
12:52We've prepared for this, and we can respond with countermeasures if necessary.
12:58So this two-track approach pays off because we are prepared.
13:04Thank you very much.
13:06I think we have taken our couple of questions.
13:10There's another hand, I see.
13:12You want to?
13:13You want to ask to me?
13:15Yes.
13:16Ask, please, Mr. President.
13:19Please don't ask a hard question.
13:22Yes, I guess I would love to ask two questions, actually, a sort of double-barrel question, one starting with you.
13:28I wonder, you know, you talked a little bit about the fact that you still look to Europe as a leader in the world.
13:34I wonder if you see it as something that could replace the United States and as something that could sort of fill in the gaps that the United States is leaving as it pulls back.
13:42And then, President von der Leyen, I wonder if the ACI, the anti-coercion instrument, is on the table as you consider preparing further countermeasures.
13:51No, I think the United States will be always a very important leader in the world.
14:02But I consider Europe to be also a very important factor in the world civilization, the history of Europe, Europe is in the leading edge of many, many science, technology, etc.
14:24And Europe is always leading the world in upholding democratic values, human rights, etc.
14:35So we consider Europe still a very important factor.
14:41And we would like to see a very strong Europe.
14:43This is part of the world architecture of, let us say, multipolar and powers that will contribute to peace and stability.
14:58Because the world, the planet is getting smaller.
15:03So, you know, everything now is interconnected.
15:05And climate change is a fact of life, environmental impact of industrialization is a fact of life.
15:17So we have the planet getting smaller.
15:20We need a strong powers that contribute to peace and stability.
15:27And we consider Europe to be very important.
15:30Yes.
15:30On your question, as you know, we have prepared and agreed on the first list of countermeasures.
15:39We have developed a second potential list of countermeasures that is by now agreed to.
15:46And the AACI is created for extraordinary situations.
15:52We are not there yet.
15:54This is very important.
15:56This is now the time for negotiations.
15:59But this also shows we are prepared for all eventual scenarios.
