In order to curb growing sales of illegal products and to protect local
industry, the government has issued a new regulation to tighten imports of
mobile phones.
Under the new rule, issued by the
Trade Ministry and to come into effect on January 1, imports of mobile phones,
including smart phones; handhelds, including personal digital assistants (PDA),
and tablets, can only be carried out by registered importers with special
licenses from the Trade Ministry.
Importers must also obtain
permits and approval from overseas brands’ principals or manufacturers for
their import plans. Currently, importers can bring in mobile phones and similar
products from overseas producers without any specific permits.
In another change to existing
conditions, importers will also need to show contracts with at least three
local distributors who will circulate the imported gadgets in the domestic
market. Importers cannot sell products directly to retailers but must team up
with distributors.
“With the new requirements, we
will protect local consumers from illegal products and guarantee the originality
of the imported items,” Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan told The Jakarta Post
yesterday. The rule should also have a positive impact on the mobile phone
industry in the country.
Earlier this year, the Industry
Ministry director general for high-technology Budi Darmadi declared that new
import rules for mobile phones would spur the development of medium- and
low-end mobile phones locally and stimulate growth of the local industry.
Indonesia is among the world’s
largest mobile phone markets. The number of subscriber identification module
(SIM) cards sold in the country is more than 120 per cent of the total
population.
Based on records of local
surveyors PT Sucofindo and PT Surveyor Indonesia, Indonesia imported 25 million
mobile phones in 2009, which then rose to 43 million in 2010. The figure,
however, rose modestly to 45 million last year.
The import value also increased
to US$2 billion in 2010 from $1.6 billion in 2009. The figure, however, fell by
6.8 per cent to $1.92 billion in 2011.
With the new rules, importers
should also have to stand up to scrutiny from the Industry Ministry with checks
of international mobile equipment identity, Mobile Equipment Identifier and
Electronic Serial Number by the Communication and Information Technology
Ministry.
Apart from general verification
covering points such as shipment details, product descriptions and permits from
manufacturers, appointed surveyors will also check samples of products for
Indonesian labelling and certificates for telecommunication devices issued by
the Communication and Information Technology Ministry.
The rules also stipulate that
mobile phones, handhelds and tablets that did not comply with the rules would
be reexported.
Linda Yulisman
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