JAKARTA, Jan 17 — Indonesia has welcomed a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling that supports the archipelago nation in its dispute over "palm oil discrimination" by the European Union (EU), government ministers said today, reported Xinhua.
"This victory demonstrates that in the case of palm oil and biodiesel, Europe is recognised for discriminating against Indonesia.
"So, the biodiesel that we are now taking as a policy, the world has to accept," said Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto.
In addition to providing justice, he noted that this ruling serves as a foundation for expanding regional collaboration with Malaysia and other palm oil-producing countries, as well as enhancing globally recognised sustainability standards.
Airlangga emphasised the necessity of maintaining this momentum to overcome barriers in the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations.
Minister of Trade Budi Santoso said this victory sends a strong message to the EU to avoid implementing discriminatory regulations.
"We hope that other trading partner countries will not implement similar policies that could hinder global trade," he said.
In its ruling, the WTO determined that the EU not only failed to properly evaluate data related to the high land use conversion risk category for palm-based biofuels, but also unfairly advantaged rapeseed and soybean-based biofuels.
— Bernama
