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Australian Border Force (ABF) Commissioner, Michael Outram APM, and the Indonesian Director General of Customs and Excise (DGCE), Askolani after signing an MOU, (Photo : Australian Embassy) - 

VOInews, Australia : Businesses in Australia and Indonesia are set to benefit from a simplified customs process after the two countries signed an Authorised Economic Operator Mutual Recognition Arrangement (AEO MRA).​

Australian Border Force (ABF) Commissioner, Michael Outram APM, and the Indonesian Director General of Customs and Excise (DGCE), Askolani, signed the Arrangement at the 23rd Customs-to-Customs Talks in Canberra on Wednesday 7 August 2024.

Commissioner Outram said Australia's 11th MRA will mean Australian Trusted Traders (ATT) gain faster, more efficient, and more secure access to one of the world's fastest growing economies.

"Indonesia is a vitally important partner for Australia, and it is my honour to host today's Customs-to-Customs Talks and to sign the Arrangement," Commissioner Outram said.

"It is important we continue to strengthen cooperation and information sharing between our countries on enforcement and trade facilitation matters.

“Following today's signing, our two agencies will operationalise the Arrangement, which will reap tangible economic and security benefits. This is only possible due to the hard work of our officers over the past few years to finalise the details of the Arrangement.

"While this will be my last Customs-to-Customs Talks planned with Indonesia before I conclude my time as ABF Commissioner, I am confident that the long-standing cooperation between the ABF and DGCE will continue into the future."

In a release received by Voice of Indonesia on Wednesday August 7th 2024, in 2022-23, Indonesia was Australia's 13th largest two-way trading partner by value ($26.2 billion) and 9th largest export market ($15.7 billion).

Indonesia is also on track to become one of the world's ten largest economies by the mid-2030s and the fourth largest economy by mid-century. 

Australia has now signed arrangements with Canada, the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and India.

Indonesia has also signed with The Republic of Korea, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the United Arab Emirates, and ASEAN.

AEO MRAs, as outlined in the World Customs Organization (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade (SAFE Framework), are arrangements between Customs administrations with equivalent AEO programs.

Australian businesses, who form part of the international supply chain, are encouraged to visit the ABF website to submit an application to join the ATT program//VOI