A joint statement issued in Brussels on July 13, 2025, following a meeting between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on July 13, 2025, emphasized that the strategic partnership between the EU and Indonesia is built on three interconnected pillars: trade, geopolitics with security and inter-societal ties
Three directions
The first is trade: The two sides reached a political agreement on the Integrated Economic Partnership (IEU-CEPA) after 10 years of negotiations. The agreement will open up new markets for Indonesia's economy, whose GDP is around €1.2 trillion, in key sectors such as agro, autos, services, etc., and strengthen the resilience of global supply chains for digital and green transformation.
The second is geopolitics and security: The EU and Indonesia agreed to launch a strategic partnership based on trust, reciprocity and shared values reflecting the current challenges of the international order, including cooperation within the framework of EU-ASEAN initiatives.
The third is inter-societal ties: introduced a "cascade visa" mechanism - Indonesians who have already visited the Schengen area once can now obtain a multiple-entry Schengen visa. This should improve educational, tourism and investment mobility, while strengthening cultural and scientific ties
