Indonesian Embassy in Brussels Holds Palm Oil Dialogue With the EU

INDONESIAN Embassy in Brussels, Belgium organized an informal multi-stakeholders dialogue on sustainable palm oil in order to strengthen Indonesian diplomacy. Themed “Developments on the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil: Charting the Way Forward to Strengthen Indonesia-European Union Relations,” the dialogue was attended by stakeholders in Europe, included European Commission, European Parliament, representatives from several ministries of the EU countries, ambassadors of palm oil producing countries in Brussels, palm oil association in the EU, academics, and NGOs. Talking on the occasion were Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs Musdhalifah Machmud and Director General Forestry and Environmental Governance at Ministry of Environment and Forestry Sigit Hardwinarto. The informal dialogue was held to provide updated information on the achievement and progress that government has achieved on sustainable palm oil. The dialogue was also organized to facilitate interactive and open discussion with stakeholders on effort to strengthen cooperation between the EU on sustainable palm oil as well as to seek solution on some challenges. Indonesia has made some progress in developing sustainable palm oil such as issuing Presidential Instruction No 8 year 2018 concerning moratorium on new palm oil development. Indonesia is also strengthening ISPO (Indonesia Sustainable Palm Oil) certification in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as issuing National Action Plan on sustainable palm oil. Indonesian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxemburg, and the European Union Yuri Thamrin said palm oil is a strategic commodity for Indonesia as it supports, directly and indirectly, 17 million people including smallholders. “A part from supporting fair trade, Indonesia deems it necessary to build constructive communication with stakeholders in the EU on sustainable palm oil to seek win-win solution in the future,” he said. Meanwhile, Musdhalifah Machmud said, “Indonesia commits itself to improve ISPO certification in order to achieve SDGs by issuing National Action Plan to strengthen coordination among ministries or related stakeholders.` At the same occasion, Sigit Hardwinarto gave presentation on newest policy of moratorium on new oil palm plantation development. “As long as there’s a moratorium, the government will evaluate and improve governance to ensure environment sustainability aspect, ensure legal standing, as well as to improve smallholders’ oil palm plantation productivity,” Sigit said. The dialogue was held almost a month after European Parliament adopted Renewable Energy Directive (RED) II on a meeting in Strasbourg 13 November 2018. It mandated a Delegated Act to European Commission to establish criteria to help distinguish between high and low risk ILUC across the vegetable oil sector in general used for biofuels. (Source: KBRI Brussels)