Government Opens Opportunity to Apply Exit Tax on Coal and Nickel Exports

Jakarta - The government is opening the opportunity to impose an exit tax on coal and nickel exports. The goal is not merely to pursue revenue, but also to give customs a way to inspect goods before ships depart and suppress under-invoicing practices and alleged smuggling.

This was conveyed by Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Wednesday, April 8.

According to the Minister of Finance Purbaya, President Prabowo also paid attention to the practice of reducing export values and the potential for smuggling commodities. He explained, with the exit fee, customs officers can enter earlier to inspect the cargo before the ship departs.

The government, said Purbaya, wants to suppress as much as possible the practice of under-invoicing or smuggling, if it does occur. Purbaya also alluded to the business actors' margins, which are still considered quite large.

In that condition, according to him, it is reasonable if commodities such as coal and nickel are subject to exit duties. However, for nickel, the final figure has not been decided because it is still being discussed with the technical team, including the level of the Reference Mineral Price or HMA and the amount of the tariff to be used.