Indonesia Signs the First Halal Product Assurance MRA in Europe

Background

Law Number 33 of 2014 concerning Halal Product Assurance mandates that all products entering, circulating, and traded in Indonesia must be halal certified. Government Regulation Number 39 of 2021 outlines a phased implementation of this requirement. The first phase, which began on October 17, 2019, and will conclude on October 17, 2024, primarily targets food and beverage products and their raw materials, etc.

On September 19, 2024, Indonesia announced that the Minister of Religious Affairs signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for Halal Product Assurance (JPH) with Halal Italia. ¹ This MRA establishes the basis for mutual recognition of halal certificates between the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs and Halal Italia.

With the signing of the MRA, for products entering the Indonesian market with Halal Italia’s certification, companies will no longer need to apply for additional halal certificates from Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH). This agreement enhances global cooperation in halal product assurance.

Indonesian Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas stated, “With Halal Italia considered as one of the Halal Certification Institutions that complies with Indonesian standards, the signing of the MRA aims to foster a mutually beneficial partnership between Indonesia and Italy. This will strengthen regional market integration and improve consumers’ access to halal products, ensuring their trust to the halal products they purchase and consume.”

This MRA marks the first mutual recognition of halal product assurance signed by Indonesia with a European country. David Doninotti, Secretary General of Italian Association of Foreign Trade (AICE), remarked this achievement as a historic milestone, not only for Milan but for Europe as a whole.