Revised Indonesian Tin Export Regulations To Go Into November 2014

The Indonesian government's revised tin export regulations will take effect in November this year, the country's Ministry of Commerce announced. The adopted rules are intended to introduce strict control over the sale of products without processing prior to the formation of ingots.

The new rules set minimum purity standards for tin content (99.9 percent for ingots and 99.93 percent for other forms) and maximum levels for solder (99.8 percent) and other tin products (96 percent). Standards have been established for the marking, packaging, size and shape of tin and solder ingots for export.

According to the Commerce Department, the new regulation will classify tin into four different categories - pure tin products in ingots and other shapes, solders and other alloys. The revised rules stipulate that each company can only obtain one type of export license. In addition, registered exporters must renew their licenses by March 1, 2015.

The regulatory revision "aims to create legal certainty and a favorable business climate, provide raw materials to the domestic industry, and increase the added value of tin exports," said Partogi Pangaribuan, Director General of Foreign Trade, in a statement.

Meanwhile, the recent decision by the Indonesian government to tighten export rules for tin and set standards for metal content in products to prevent inaccurate shipping data could lead to a sharp decline in the country's exports.