Continued suspension of certain Indonesian preferential import tariffs

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1909 of 24 September 2025 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the suspension for the years 2026-2028 of certain tariff preferences granted to certain GSP beneficiary countries

Update

Under the generalised scheme of preferences (GSP), the European Union (EU) sets lower import tariffs for certain products for countries that benefit from GSP status (Regulation 978/2012). Where imports of these products exceed certain established thresholds, the EU suspends the preferential tariffs.

Having undertaken a review of trade statistics, the EU is continuing the suspension of Indonesia’s preferential import tariffs between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2028 for the following agri-food products:

• live animals and animal products, excluding fish
• animal or vegetable oils, fats, and waxes.

This continues the suspension that was in place between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2025, of the same import tariffs and for the same products.

Impacted Products

Live animals and animal products (excluding fish), animal or vegetable oils, fats, and waxes

What is changing?

Under the generalised scheme of preferences (GSP), the EU sets lower tariffs for certain countries on certain goods exported to the EU, with the aim of supporting their economic and social development. These preferential tariffs can be suspended if imports from a country increase above specific thresholds (set out in Annex VI of Regulation 978/2012).

On the basis of trade statistics, in relation to agri-food sectors, the EU is continuing the suspension of import tariffs from Indonesia for:

• live animals and animal products, excluding fish (Section 1a)
• animal or vegetable oils, fats, and waxes (Section 3).

For the CN codes of affected products, see Annex V of Regulation 978/2012.

This maintains a suspension that was already in place for the period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2025 (Regulations 2022/1039 and 2023/2780).

[The Regulation also continues to suspend preferential tariffs for live plants and floricultural products from Kenya; however, this has no practical effect as Kenya benefits from zero duties for these products under the 2024 EU–Kenya Free Trade Agreement; see EU trade policy digest July–September 2024.]

Why?

The list of suspended tariffs is reviewed every three years. Tariffs are suspended on the basis of a review of three calendar years of trade, in this case 2021–2023.

Timeline

Suspension of preferential import tariffs for the specific products from Indonesia will continue from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028.

What are the major implications for exporting countries?

This Regulation has no impact on import tariffs currently in place for products from Indonesia, as GSP preferential tariffs were already suspended.

Background

The GSP rules set out in Regulation 978/2012 provide tariff preferences (lower customs duties) on certain products to certain countries.

The GSP scheme aims to assist lower-income countries to integrate into the world economy, reduce poverty, and support sustainable development by protecting core human rights and the environment.

The current GSP scheme has three trading arrangements:

• Standard GSP: for lower- and lower-middle-income countries, providing removal or reduction of import tariffs on approximately two-thirds of EU tariff lines.
• GSP+: establishes 0% import tariffs for broadly the same tariff lines as the Standard GSP. This improved preferential access is granted to vulnerable lower- and lower-middle-income countries that implement international conventions related to human rights/labour rights.
• Everything But Arms (EBA): special arrangement for least developed countries – 0% import tariffs and zero quotas for all products except arms and ammunition.

This scheme is due to expire on 31 December 2027 and is currently being reviewed; see Review of generalised scheme of tariff preferences (GSP).

Resources

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