Preparing Indonesian Businesses for the Indonesia–Canada CEPA

On 10 November 2026, the Indonesian Business Council (IBC) hosted the fourth Indonesia–Canada CEPA Task Force meeting at its Jakarta office. The meeting brought together representatives from IBC, the Embassy of Canada, Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade, KADIN, APINDO, the Indonesia Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC), and the Canada–ASEAN Business Council (CABC). 

The meeting took place three weeks before the Indonesia–Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (ICA-CEPA) enters into force on 1 December 2026. As Canada’s first bilateral trade agreement with an ASEAN member, it creates new opportunities for Indonesian companies to compete in Canada. For an exporter, a lower tariff on a qualifying product can change the price it can offer a Canadian buyer and make a sale that was previously out of reach commercially viable. 

In his opening remarks, IBC CEO Dr. Sofyan A. Djalil emphasized that the agreement’s success will be measured by the trade, investment, and business partnerships it generates. The Task Force brings government and business organizations together to help companies get there. That includes equipping both Indonesian and Canadian exporters with the understanding of whether their products qualify for preferential tariffs, what documentation they need, and where to turn when they encounter a barrier. 

To help businesses put ICA-CEPA into practice, IBC will carry the Task Force’s work forward by bringing together companies, government representatives, and business associations from Indonesia and Canada at the Indonesia Economic Summit (IES) on 20–21 April 2027.