REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Italy is supporting Indonesia's bid to use palm oil as one of the biofuels in the European Union (EU) market, Indonesian Ambassador to Italy Esti Andayani said. According to her, Italy has always supported Indonesia, either in the WTO (World Trade Organization), the European Union or the European Parliament.

The Italian government is supporting the use of palm oil in the EU region, because the country uses palm oil for its products. Italian companies use palm oil in its food products and cosmetics.

"When I met with the president of Ferrero Rocher, he told me that their chocolate and Nutela products used palm oil. Palm oil has longer shelf life than other (vegetable) oils. It does not turn sour easily, thus ensuring the products using it last longer," she said on Tuesday.

Also read: Indonesia continues dialog with EU parliament over palm oil

The ambassador said the Ferrero Rocher president had assured Indonesia that they would continue to use palm oil, as the results of a research they conducted showed that it was not hazardous to human health. "They (Ferrero Rocher) will continue to use palm oil. By conducting a research, they have proven that people who said it (palm oil) is not healthy are liars. The company won in the court against the hoax," she noted.

Hence, the Indonesian government will cooperate with the Italian government and Ferrero Rocher to fight the ban on the use of palm oil in the EU region. In addition to this, the Italian government, through several of its ministries, has also thrown its weight behind Indonesia's struggle against the black campaign on palm oil in EU, she stressed.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi earlier expressed concern about the ban on the use of palm oil for biofuel in the EU region when she met with Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Angelino Alfan. Italy is the third largest market for Indonesian palm oil in Europe.

In October 2017, the European Parliament passed a resolution to phase out palm oil exports from the EU biofuel programme from 2021. The resolution was passed based on claims that palm oil manufacturers have failed to achieve the UN's sustainable development goals on responsible consumption, production and climate action.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika