US business council proposes Indonesian import and investment reforms
Eight recommendations seek to address structural barriers and support Indonesia’s 8% economic growth target.
Representatives of US companies in the US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) have presented Indonesia’s government with eight recommendations covering imports, digital regulation, investment and trade commitments. The proposals aim to tackle structural obstacles and support the country’s economic growth target of 8%.
The council called for modernising import procedures and building greater trust between countries’ regulators. It highlighted lengthy Indonesian National Standard (SNI) certification procedures, saying the full process can cost more than US$20,000.
Two further recommendations sought stronger government technical capabilities in the digital sector and greater regulatory certainty for long-term investors. The council said oversight of artificial intelligence, personal data and cybersecurity remained spread across several agencies.
US-ABC also urged the government to act as a long-term investment partner and encourage business partnerships that help transfer knowledge to local workers and suppliers. Speaking to reporters on 30 October 2026, McFeeters said consistent and predictable policies were important for companies to maintain investment.
The council requested a review of the natural-resource export proceeds policy, known as DHE SDA, to balance reserve stability with reinvestment flexibility. It said repeated changes to foreign-exchange retention rules significantly affected project economics. Its final recommendation called for stronger implementation of commitments under international trade agreements.
