Legal Literacy - Regulations for import product permits in Indonesia, including the prohibition of selling iPhone 16, aim to encourage local industry through TKDN certification and other standards. This article discusses government policies, challenges, and their impact on the economy and consumer protection amid the dominance of imported products.

Import Product Licensing Regulations in Indonesia

Recently, the issue of banning the sale of iPhone 16 in Indonesia has surfaced. This prohibition certainly raises various questions, both from the general public and technology observers. The iPhone 16 is prohibited from being traded in Indonesia for several reasons, one of which is not having a Domestic Component Level (TKDN) certification of 40 percent as a mandatory requirement for selling in Indonesia. This is a special tactic for Indonesia so that later the iPhone party is required to make efforts first to obtain a TKDN certificate with a choice of schemes, namely the establishment of manufacturing plants, innovation, or application creation schemes.

In fact, Indonesia has very strict regulations regarding the circulation of goods, including electronic goods such as mobile phones. One of the regulations governing this issue is the Regulation of the Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia (Permendag) Number 31 of 2013 concerning Provisions on Import of Goods and Electronic Commerce. This regulation states that every item to be traded in Indonesia, including mobile phones, must meet several requirements, one of which is the Domestic Component Level (TKDN) standard. Although Indonesia also has several local mobile phone manufacturers, in reality these products are becoming less and less in demand because imported mobile phones offer more attractive specifications at relatively affordable prices.

KDN requires electronic products, including iPhone 16 products, to have local components manufactured in Indonesia with a certain percentage. This aims to encourage domestic industry and create jobs. Products that do not meet the TKDN standards set by the Ministry of Industry may not be sold officially in Indonesia. iPhone 16, one of the products that has not met the specified TKDN requirements, must meet the requirements first, namely having to choose between building a manufacturing plant, innovation, or an application creation scheme.

Apart from TKDN certification, there is also an obligation for every electronic device to meet certain certification standards before it can be circulated in Indonesia, including the distribution of iPhone 16 in Indonesia. This certification involves checking the safety of the product and its compliance with applicable regulations, such as certification from the National Standardization Agency (BSN) or the Directorate General of Resources and Equipment of Post and Information Technology (SDPPI). Every product to be circulated must have a Postel certificate or SNI (Indonesian National Standard) certificate to ensure that the product does not endanger the safety of its users and complies with national regulations.