Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The Benelux-Indonesia Association (BIA) was officially launched on Wednesday (Sep. 15) at the Indonesian embassy in Brussels, Belgium by Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands Mayerfas and Indonesian Ambassador to Belgium Andri Hadi.

The business association was established to facilitate trade between companies in Indonesia and the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), particularly in the fields of logistics, taxation, as well as finance and investment.

At the launching event, Ambassador Mayerfas emphasized that businesses played an important role in bilateral relations between Indonesia and the Netherlands, Indonesia and Belgium, as well as Indonesia and Luxembourg.

Therefore, BIA was expected to help Indonesian business players better understand regulations in Benelux, as well as to help Benelux business actors run their businesses in Indonesia, and vice versa.

"Thus, BIA can assist the Indonesian embassy in Brussels and the Indonesian embassy in The Hague to further strengthen economic and business cooperation between Indonesia and the Benelux countries," Ambassador Mayerfas said.

On the same occasion, Ambassador Andri Hadi, who is also the Indonesian Ambassador to Luxembourg and the European Union, highlighted the importance of Indonesia's relations with the Benelux countries as reflected in the value of Indonesia's exports to the European Union which were dominated by the Benelux countries.

Ambassador Andri Hadi hoped that BIA could become a driving force for Indonesia's trade and exports to the Benelux and the European Union, as well as a catalyst for Benelux's investment in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the Director of Southeast Asia and Oceania of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jean Cornet D'Elzius, welcomed the establishment of BIA, especially in the context of post-COVID-19 recovery.

The founder of BIA, Johan Lubbe Bakker, said that BIA would be the 'eyes and ears' for Indonesian companies for the Benelux and European markets, and contrary wise.

"BIA will build relationships with authorities and entrepreneurs from the four countries, issue press releases on the latest information in the business and corporate fields, build networks, provide assistance to Indonesian companies to penetrate the European market and vice versa," Bakker said.

The launch was a collaboration between the Indonesian embassy in Brussels, the Indonesian embassy in The Hague, BIA and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Reporting by Indonesia Window