KKP: Indonesia Regains EU Market Access for Aquaculture Exports

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia has regained access to export aquaculture products to the European Union (EU) after being officially included on the list of countries authorized to export such products to EU member states.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), cited on June 16, 2026, Head of the Marine and Fisheries Product Quality Control and Supervision Agency, Ishartini, said Indonesia is now listed under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1189, which was adopted on June 4, 2026.

"This is certainly a relief, as business operators had previously been concerned because Indonesia was not included in the list of countries authorized to export aquaculture products to the European Union market under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2598," she said.

She further explained that Indonesia's inclusion in the latest regulation was the result of ongoing communication and negotiations between the ministry and the European Union, including direct meetings with the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) in Brussels, Belgium.

According to her, the achievement was also supported by various stakeholders, including the European Union Delegation to Indonesia, the Indonesian Embassy in Brussels, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Trade.

"Throughout the negotiation process, the ministry acted proactively and intensively to ensure the interests of aquaculture businesses were protected. With Indonesia's inclusion on the list, access for Indonesian aquaculture products to the EU market remains open and sustainable," she said.

Moreover, Ishartini noted that the European Union, which consists of 27 member states, is one of the world's largest consumers of fishery products. The ministry recorded per capita fish consumption in the bloc at around 24–25 kilograms annually.

Earlier, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, emphasized the importance of diversifying export destinations for Indonesian fishery products. The European Union is currently one of Indonesia's key export markets for aquaculture products, including shrimp, milkfish, and catfish. Tilapia, often referred to as the "aquatic chicken," has also been identified as a commodity with strong potential to strengthen Indonesia's exports to the EU market.