Ministry Of Trade Says Australia Revokes BMAD For Indonesia's A4 Paper Imports

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) said the Australian Government revoked Antidumping Import Duty (BMAD) for imports of A4 paper from Indonesia through a decision issued on February 26, 2024.

Director General of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Trade Budi Santoso said the Indonesian government succeeded in convincing the Australian Government that the imposition of BMAD on imported A4 paper products was irrelevant based on the provisions of the Artificial VI General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and other provisions of the World Trade Organization (WTO), namely Anti-Dumping Agreement.

"Australian decision to revoke the BMAD imposition is very appropriate, considering that Australia's domestic industry is no longer able to produce paper that is used as an object of the imposition of BMAD," Budi said in a statement received in Bogor, West Java, quoted from Antara, Friday, March 8.

The decision to revoke BMAD for importing A4 paper from Indonesia is the result of a recommendation for an investigation into the Revocation Review by the Australian Anti-Dumping Commission which was initiated on May 5, 2023.

Meanwhile, Director of Trade Security of the Ministry of Trade, Natan Kambuno, said that the decision had been retroactive since May 5, 2023.

Therefore, business actors can apply for a BMAD refund that has been paid to the Australian Government if there is a paper export to Australia after that date.

"Australian's decision in revoking the BMAD imposition has been retroactive since May 5, 2023, so it is hoped that business actors can apply for a return to BMAD if there is a paper export to Australia after the date in question," said Natan.

Furthermore, Natan appealed to business actors to see the revocation of BMAD as an opportunity to increase paper exports to Australia. Indonesia must take advantage of this moment to increase paper exports because Indonesian products have strong competitiveness in the Australian market.

As a result of the imposition of BMAD of 14.7'59.7 percent in recent years, Indonesia's A4 paper exports to Australia have fallen.

In 2022, A4's paper exports to Australia will be just $8 million, down significantly compared to 2019 which reached 19 million US dollars.

Natan said the Ministry of Trade appreciated the active collaboration between the Directorate of Trade Security of the Ministry of Trade and stakeholders such as business actors and associations.

He considered that the collaboration of all relevant parties was a key factor in Indonesia's success in thwarting the BMAD imposition.