# Indonesia Pursues Tariff Relief From Washington and a Trade Pact With Europe

Jakarta says it may win 18 exemptions from United States tariffs while targeting ratification of its European Union trade agreement this year.

- Published: 2026-06-07T11:14:53.700Z
- Canonical: https://polylog.news/2026-06-07/indonesia-pursues-tariff-relief-from-washington-and-a-trade
- Publisher: Polylog (Global desk)
- Section: markets
- Sources: [Antara](https://en.antaranews.com/news/418305/indonesia-may-secure-18-us-tariff-exemptions-govt), [Antara](https://en.antaranews.com/news/418311/ieu-cepa-ratification-targeted-for-h2-2026-airlangga)

Indonesia said it may secure 18 exemptions from United States tariffs, with the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs reporting that the [Office of the United States Trade Representative is reviewing the requests](https://en.antaranews.com/news/418305/indonesia-may-secure-18-us-tariff-exemptions-govt), the state agency Antara reported. The talks reflect how mid-sized economies are negotiating individual carve-outs as Washington rebuilds a broad tariff regime.

At the same time, Jakarta is deepening ties with Europe. Senior minister Airlangga Hartarto said the government targets [ratification of the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in the second half of 2026](https://en.antaranews.com/news/418311/ieu-cepa-ratification-targeted-for-h2-2026-airlangga), known by the acronym IEU-CEPA, after years of negotiation.

The two tracks show a single strategy. Rather than aligning with one bloc, Indonesia is hedging, seeking relief from American tariffs while securing preferential access to the European market. For a large emerging economy in Southeast Asia, that balance is a way to avoid dependence on any one partner.

The pattern fits a fragmenting trade order. As the United States raises duties on dozens of economies and others pursue regional deals, supply chains are reorganizing around overlapping arrangements rather than a single global framework. Countries that can negotiate from multiple directions gain leverage that the largest powers would prefer to deny them.

## What this means

Indonesia's dual approach is a template for how mid-sized economies navigate a world of revived tariffs and competing blocs. Securing exemptions from Washington while ratifying a pact with Brussels lets Jakarta diversify its trade exposure, a hedge that becomes more valuable as the global system fragments into regional arrangements.

## What to watch

- Whether the United States grants the 18 requested tariff exemptions.
- The timeline for Indonesian and European ratification of IEU-CEPA.
- How other Southeast Asian economies position between Washington and Brussels.