Journal of World Trade Studies

Marine Waste Reduction in the European Union: The Potential of Bioplastic Policy

2025-09-07T00:44:48+07:00

The accumulation of marine plastic waste represents a significant global environmental pollution issue. The European Union is a regional organisation that has implemented a marine plastic waste management strategy. This is due to the amount of waste on European beaches, which is dominated by about 50% of single-use plastics. The policy implemented by the European Union is to pay attention to the use of recyclable plastics including plastic processing strategies through the EU Plastic Strategy in 2018. Thus, this research aims to explain the EU's opportunity to implement bioplastics through single-use plastic policies that can reduce marine plastic waste. This research will be explained through analysis of the diffusion of innovation theory from Everett M. Rogers. Based on the implementation, the European Union can be a benchmark in plastic waste management to achieve a balance of sustainable development in the economic, environmental and social sectors. This is because the European Union has qualified policy development through the Single Use Plastic policy and the EU Policy Framework of Biobased, Biodegradable and Compostable Plastics.

Batam City’s Competitive Position as an Investment Destination in the Southeast Asia Region in 2021-2022

2025-09-07T00:46:50+07:00

The increase in investment in Batam during the 2021–2022 period has reinforced Indonesia's position as a leading investment destination in Southeast Asia. As a Special Economic Zone and Free Trade Area, Batam offers a range of investment incentives, continuously developing infrastructure, and investment-friendly economic policies. This article aims to identify Batam’s strategic position as an investment destination within the Southeast Asian region. The study employs a descriptive qualitative method, utilizing a literature review approach and secondary data analysis obtained from the Badan Pengusahaan Batam (BP Batam). The findings indicate that Batam experienced a significant increase in realized investment despite the global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key factors driving this growth include the city's expanding infrastructure, pro-investment government policies, and high economic competitiveness, all of which have contributed to enhancing Batam’s investment appeal and strengthening its position in Southeast Asia. This success presents a model that may be replicated in other regions by reinforcing regulatory reforms, infrastructure development, and digital service delivery, thereby fostering a more inclusive and sustainable investment climate.

WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies: Is It Enough to Combat IUU Fishing in Asia-Pacific?

2025-09-07T00:26:50+07:00

Government subsidies on fisheries are supposed to provide welfare and development for the country. Nevertheless, some government subsidies contribute to a more fisheries crisis, including Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing (IUU Fishing). Subsidies in the fisheries sectors were estimated in 2018 to be as high as $35.4 billion worldwide, of which an estimated $22 billion qualified as harmful subsidies. Therefore, the World Trade Organization (WTO) in June 2022 adopted the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS) to end prohibited fisheries subsidies. Henceforth, two-thirds of WTO members must deposit their instruments of acceptance to make the agreement viable. This normative legal research will utilize primary and secondary legal materials. The author intends to analyze these materials with a statutory and historical approach to examine (i) subsidy issues resulting in IUU Fishing, (ii) the AFS and its urgency, and (iii) whether AFS is sufficient to eliminate IUU fishing - in the Asia-Pacific region. This article argues that the AFS needs to be enforced to reduce harmful subsidies. However, the AFS is still not sufficient to thoroughly combat IUU fishing in the Asia-Pacific region, as it does not regulate certain issues such as overfishing and overcapacity, as well as banned fuel subsidies.

The Wealth of Maritime Country and the Welfare of Coastal People: Between Imagination and Reality

2025-09-09T23:29:47+07:00

Indonesia is dubbed a maritime country because its water area is larger than its land area and consists of many islands. Indonesia's natural resources on land alone are already abundant, let alone the vast water areas that hold even more wealth of resources that can be utilized. However, do dreams and facts about the richness of marine resources correlate? This article discusses the welfare of coastal communities, opportunities, and challenges in optimizing the utilization of marine resources. Nearly 40 million people live in coastal areas, raising the question of why they have a low level of welfare despite this great potential. This article outlines the factors causing the low welfare of coastal communities and the associated challenges. Indonesia has a great opportunity to improve the welfare of coastal communities and the Indonesian economy through proper and effective management of marine resources if the challenges are overcome. With this article, it is hoped that readers can understand and actively contribute to maximizing the utilization of marine resources for every element of society. Library Research is the research method used with a descriptive approach to produce outputs that are easily understood by various groups. This article shows the vast potential and opportunities that marine resources hold for society and the economy in Indonesia if utilized effectively and efficiently.