Starting from 2003 regulation required every exporter trading wooden products including handicraft, furniture, and other wooden-made products has to hold status as Registered Exporter of Forestry-Based Products (ETPIK), granted by the Directorat General of International Trade.

Currently there are more than 300 companies holding ETPIK status. However status held my most of them are possibly getting suspended.  The problem was that legality paperworks required to get their ETPIK status, issued back in 2003, are only valid for five years, expiring in 2008, when they have to be renewed.

ETPIK holder based in Denpsar Wayan Subagia interviewed by Bali Post daily told that his company is now applying for renewal of its paperworks. Unfortunately renewal is no longer easy. New regulation required new pre-requisites which are complicated and expensive to get. “I am now processing application to renew our trading license and company registration, which now requires location permit”, he said. “Prerequisites for getting the location permit alone costs four millions Rupiah, not to mention the following location permit, trading license, and company registration afterward”, he continued. “It has been two months without any signs for completion, there are always been something more needed”, he closed his complain.

Similar opinion expressed by another EPTIK holder based in Badung regency. To avoid EPTIK suspension he has started to process extension of his paperworks two months prior to expiration. All supporting documents validated upon application. However the next week he was called and informed that there was some missing requirements. “It was a classical excuse to ask for bribe”, he accused. He then decided to pay a consulting service to take care of the process. “I think companies has no problem in paying, the most important thing is clear guideline, how much and how long”, he continued.

The chairman of Bali association for handicraft exporters and producers Ir. Ngurah Pratama Citra M.M. confirmed concern of his members. “So far there are 214 members holding EPTIK based on paperworks issued back in 2003 and therefore are expiring this year,” he explained. “Their EPTIK have to be revised, which is not possible if their paperworks are expired, so paperwork renewal has to go first”, he continued.

To avoid mass suspension which potentially affect Bali economy in general - to which handicraft export put in significant contribution - the association is planning to take an initiative to approach related government agencies to ease  required bureaucratic procedure.