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EU’s Asean pivot accelerates with landmark Indonesia trade deal

After 19 rounds of negotiations over nine years, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement marks the European Union’s latest significant pact in the region

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    • View of the Jakarta International Container Terminal. The EU is Indonesia’s fifth-biggest trade partner, with bilateral trade amounting to around US$30.1 billion last year.
    • View of the Jakarta International Container Terminal. The EU is Indonesia’s fifth-biggest trade partner, with bilateral trade amounting to around US$30.1 billion last year. PHOTO: AFP

    Andrew Hammond

    Published Tue, Sep 23, 2025 · 07:00 AM

    THE European Union, long criticised for its slow pace in securing new trade deals, appears to be decisively changing that perception. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s top team this week will sign the bloc’s latest bilateral economic agreement with Indonesia.

    Dr von der Leyen’s second term as president, which started on Dec 1, 2024, has been marked by a flurry of trade activity.

    Soon after Donald Trump’s second US presidential election win, she agreed a new trade deal with the Mercosur bloc in Latin America. This was followed in 2025 with a new post-Brexit reset with the UK and a tariff agreement with the US. Further negotiations are under way with the Gulf Cooperation Council states and multiple countries in Asia, including India.  

    IndonesiaEU-Asean relationsTradeGeopolitics

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