Indonesia importers’ Association GINSI positively welcomed the phasing in of import permit process for steel, referred steel, and related-steel products. The permit change has been returned to only one bundling (group), from three types of bundling earlier.
“We really appreciate the change in the processing of permits for imports of steel, referred steel, and related-steel products returning to one bundling, from three bundling earlier. This has become more efficient for importers,” said Erwin Taufan, GINSI Deputy Chairperson for Ports, Transportation and Logistics, in Jakarta on Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
He revealed that the changes to the licensing process had been socialized to relevant stakeholders by the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) together with the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) in Jakarta on Monday, May 22, 2023.
The socialization was opened by Lilik Widodo as Director of Metal, Machinery, Transportation Equipment and Electronics (ILMATE) at the Ministry of Industry on behalf of Director General of ILMATE Taufik Bawazier.
The socialization – which was guided by the Head of the Metal Industry Sub Directorate of the Ministry of Industry, Rizky Aditya Wijaya – was also meant to absorb inputs and participation of stakeholders to start implementing the changes to the rules starting next June.
Key issue of the socialization was that the existing import process was inefficient as if a business actor submits all types of goods but only each one is issued and at a different time, the business actor must wait for the others to be issued. Therefore, in this socialization, it was informed that bundling permits for the import of steel, referred steel, and their related products were returned to only one bundling.
The Ministry of Industry has given a deadline of 4 June 2023 for the final issuance of the technical regulations (Pertek) with the issuance of three bundling. Then on June 5, 2023, the system will start with the issuance of one bundling.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade has provided a deadline for June 9, 2023, which is the final deadline for submitting applications for imports of steel, referred steel, and related steel products using three types of pertek. Furthermore, on June 12, 2023 the system will start using only one bundling.
Erwin added that in connection with the Pertek of steel, referred steel, and related steel products, business actors sometimes receive requests for returns. When it has been completed and submitted through the system, the submission process returns to the initial processing and this takes quite a long time.
“Hopefully, if there is a return of the application, revisions will only be made on the parts that are not complete,” he said.