Heaptalk, Jakarta — Recently, the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) issued Minister of Trade Regulation (Permendag) No.8 of 2024 concerning Import Policies and Regulations. This Permendag is the third amendment to Permendag 36 of 2023, aimed at addressing container congestion at ports.
“The President’s instructions during the recent limited meeting were that the container congestion at ports was due to the complexities in Permendag 36 of 2023. Hence, we quickly revised the regulation to Number 8 of 2024. Following its issuance, containers at the ports have cleared as imported goods can be shipped to their destinations,” explained Deputy Minister of Trade Jerry.
In this context, Deputy Minister Jerry also emphasized that importers must comply with the import restriction provision for goods entering Indonesian ports after May 17, 2024. These provisions are based on the licensing stipulated in Permendag 8/2024.
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, delivered that iron and steel products and their derivatives, textiles, and derivatives that arrived between March 10, 2024, and the effective date of the new regulation, are exempt from import regulations. Importers can complete their imports by merely fulfilling the LS obligation.
“Additionally, bag and electronic products also receive relaxed import requirements. Previously, these products required import approval (PI), technical consideration (Pertek), and LS. Companies can import them with only an LS,” said Airlangga.
In her press release, the Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani, stated that the third amendment to Permendag 36/2023 reverts to the spirit of trade regulation 20/2021 and 25/2022.
“The core regulation is the electronic products, traditional medicines and health supplements, cosmetics and household supplies, toys, footwear, ready-to-wear clothing and accessories, bags, and valves do not require Pertek from the Ministry of Industry, with supervision still regulated at the border, except for certain HS codes.”
To resolve import licensing issues and container congestion at ports, Sri explained that around 17,304 containers at Tanjung Priok Port, 9,111 containers at Tanjung Perak, and containers at other major ports have received policy relaxation. Containers requiring import business licensing and LS (technical import traceability verification) are allowed to fulfill LS at the destination port, regardless of the import compliance before manifest BC 1.1.
“Besides, we observed the exceptions to Export-Import Prohibitions and Restrictions (Lartas) for shipments of iron, steel, and derivative products for business activities up to USD1,500 per shipment. These exceptions are granted for goods imported by companies with producer importer identification numbers (APIP) as raw materials and industrial auxiliaries without frequency limitations,” said Sri Mulyani.
According to Sri Mulyani, the import Lartas exceptions also apply to sample goods, not for sale and goods for research and development purposes. Removing requirements such as certificates or recommendations, or considerations from related ministries / agencies for import certificate applications facilitates API-P holders in importing goods within certain quantity limits.
“Additional exceptions to lartas for non-business activities apply to personal shipments through postal organizers. Non-business activities still refer to Article 34 of Permendag 7/2024, with implementation according to customs laws and regulations. Exceptions to Lartas do not include goods related to security, safety, health, and environmental protection (K3L), and motor vehicles. The exception of Lartas for mobile phones and tablet computers remains limited to a maximum of two units per shipment,” concluded Sri Mulyani.
