Indonesia Notified WTO Six Drafts on Halal Certification Regulations

In early November, Indonesia Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) notified WTO members six drafted documents regarding halal certification. These proposed regulations and their information are listed as follows:

Interpretations of the drafts 

1. G/TBT/N/IDN/159 Draft Regulation Regarding Guideline for Accreditation and/or Conformity Assessment of Foreign Halal Certification Bodies

To facilitate the international cooperation of halal product assurance and eliminate the trade barriers, this draft regulation was formulated as the guideline in the process of halal accreditation and/or conformity assessment of foreign halal certification bodies (LHLN).

LHLN can be established either by the government or Islamic religious institutions in the foreign countries. This guideline also provides the process and stages of LHLN's application for halal accreditation and/or conformity assessment by BPJPH. After the assessment, inspection and the signing of mutual recognition agreement (MRA), halal products certified by the approved LHLN are able to enter the Indonesian market. It is reported that BPJPH signed MRA with 37 LHLN in November.

2. G/TBT/N/IDN/160 Draft Decree Regarding Establishment of Harmonized System Codification of Types of Products that are Required to be Halal Certified in Food and Beverages

This draft regulation provides the list of HS codes for food and beverage types that are required to be halal certified. The application for foreign halal certification registration must include a list of goods with HS codes that are to be imported. The table below shows the excerpt of this list.

3. G/TBT/N/IDN/161 Draft Decree Regarding the Determination of General Services Rates of BPJPH

This draft is the second amendments to Decree No. 141 of 2021 Regarding the Determination of General Services Rates of BPJPH. The amendments cover adjustments in the main services rates and supporting services rates, as described in Annexes 1, 2, 4, and 5.

As a reward to public service providers, general services rates of BPJPH can be divided into two kinds. One is main services rates, which include halal certification fees of products and services, accreditation fees of halal certification bodies, registration fees of halal auditors, halal training fees, and accreditation fees of halal auditors' competency. The other is supporting services rates, which include usage rates of land, room, building, equipment, machine, laboratory, and vehicle.

4. G/TBT/N/IDN/162 Draft Decree No. 20 of 2023 Regarding the Criteria for Halal Product Assurance System

This draft is proposed as amendments to the Decree No. 57 of 2021 Regarding Criteria for Halal Product Assurance System (SJPH). Revisions include the addition of the definition of "alcohol", further detailed requirements for stakeholders' commitments and responsibilities, as well as declaration of "animals protected by laws shall not be used in halal products".

The SJPH describes requirements to be implemented by all business actors who are subject to halal certification obligation in accordance with statutory regulations. The implementation of SJPH and its principle should be conducted in every stage of halal production process, including slaughtering, supply of materials, processing, storage, packaging, distribution, sales, and products presentation.

5. G/TBT/N/IDN/163 Draft Decree No. 77 of 2023 Regarding Guidelines for Implementing Halal Product Assurance System in Ruminant and Poultry Slaughtering

Indonesia requires business actors related to the service of slaughterhouse for ruminants and poultry to have a halal certificate. This proposed guideline should be used as a reference for stakeholders (business actors, halal product assurance supervisors, halal auditors, halal supervisors and related parties), in ensuring the halalness of slaughter products from the slaughter of ruminants and poultry. The halal critical point of the slaughterhouse production process covers raw materials, including slaughtered animals, the slaughter process, and all facilities utilized.

6. G/TBT/N/IDN/164 Draft Decree No. 78 of 2023 Regarding Guideline for Halal Certification of Food and Beverages with Processing

This draft provides guideline for halal certification of food and beverages with processing. It contains information on the mechanism for implementing halal certification for the provision of food and beverages by processing. The scope covered by the guidelines related to various types of food and beverage providers that are required to obtain halal certification. This includes establishments such as restaurants, cafeterias, eateries, food stalls, food catering services, and other food processing businesses.

Indonesia regulates that products that enter, circulate, and are traded within the territory of Indonesia must be halal-certified. For products containing non-halal ingredients, business operators must declare non-halal information. For food and beverage products, halal certification started on a voluntary basis on Oct. 17, 2019, and will become mandatory since Oct. 17, 2024.

As per the data from BPJPH, as of October 24, 2023, there are already 2.9 million halal certified products in Indonesia, which surpasses BPJPH's target of reaching one million by 2023. With the halal certification for food and beverage products to be mandated soon, it's expected that more detailed rules and regulations will be unveiled as part of BPJPH's efforts to enhance the halal regulatory framework in Indonesia.