JAKARTA (IndoTelko) - eCommerce players are facing about to face a new regulation shortly regarding to their traded goods, that is the mandatory to own the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) certificate.
Director General of Indonesian Standardization and Consumer Protection (SPK) from the Trade Ministry Widodo said that the ministry would issue a mandatory obligation to use the SNI Marking Product Certificate (SPPT-SNI) for eCommerce players.
"Currently the Government Regulation's Bill (RPP) on the obligation of eCommerce to have SNI Marking Product Certificate is still under discussion and scheduled for completion by the end of this year," Widodo said, yesterday.
Widodo emphasized that the traded goods regulation must comply the applicable law. eCommerce business operators are already regulated in Regulation No. 35 which must comply with the regulations in Indonesia.
"So, imported goods from eCommerce shall have the SNI certificate. The goods will be held by the customs, because it certainly does not have the NPB (goods Registration Number), then for the goods that already entered Indonesia will also face similar treatment. Otherwise it would be discrimination," said Widodo.
In the future, imported products by eCommerce players will be blocked in advance by the Customs although they are merely importing in certain amount.
Controversy
This Indonesian Trade Ministry is planning to receive reaction from the eCommerce players.
"If Indonesia wants to have major influence in global trade, especially in the Asian region then if such regulation applied to all types of products will potentially slow the trading pace. If the Indonesian consumer purchases are only in small amount then how foreign players (eCommerce) are willing to expand and invest their business here," said CEO Blanja.com Aulia Ersyah Marinto.
Aulia said that if the context of the regulations issued is to protect consumers, then it is not a proper regulation.
"Because eCommerce made the price of a purchased product could be cheaper than buying the same goods in Indonesia. Meaning that consumers in profited from this scheme," Aulia said.
If this policy still be imposed then certain consumer segments might prefer to shop directly to neighboring countries to buy the desired item. "This would profit the neighboring countries. We are bringing the market there," Aulia said.
While CEO of OLX Indonesia Daniel Tumiwa assessed that the mandatory SNI certification measures for foreign eCommerce as something reasonable so that there is a certainty. "It is also good to ward off doubts for the consumers," Daniel said.
The Ministry of Trade itself has issued Regulation No. 72 Year 2015 on the third amendment to the Regulation No. 14 of 2007 on compulsory SNI certification for goods and services traded. The Ministry of Trade also issued Regulation No. 73 Year 2015 on the mandatory to put Bahasa Indonesia labeling in their goods.(es)