JAKARTA - Good news for Indonesia's solar panel products (Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells and Modules/CSPV). This product once again is ready to compete in the United States (US) because it is free from the imposition of safeguard duty or security action import duties (BMTP) from the US Government.
“The government responds and welcomes the US decision to exclude Indonesian solar panel products from the extension of the imposition of the BMTP. This is a breath of fresh air for Indonesian solar panel exporters to re-open and expand market access in the US," said Trade Minister Lutfi.
Information on the exemption of solar panel products from being subject to BMTP was conveyed by the Washington DC Trade Attaché in the document 'Proclamation To Continue Facilitating Positive Adjustment to Competition from Imports of Certain Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells (Whether or not Partially or Fully Assembled Into Other Products) under Section 201' which was released on 4 February 2022.
This document also strengthens the final report on the safeguard investigation for solar panel products that was released by the US authorities on December 8, 2021. The solar panel products investigated include solar panel products in the form of cells and modules.
In the report, the United States International Trade Commission (US ITC) as the investigative authority again recommended an extension of the imposition of BMTP for four years. The decision applies to all countries except developing countries, including Indonesia with an import share of below 3 percent. Director General of Foreign Trade Indrasari Wisnu Wardhana said Indonesian solar panel exporters could take full advantage of this opportunity to export to the US.
Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in January 2022, the export value of Indonesian solar panel products to the world tends to experience an increasing trend of 12.26 percent in the last five years (2016-2021). Indonesia's highest export value to the US for this product occurred in 2021, which was USD 22.69 million. (LM)