Indonesia Delays Mandatory Halal Certification
Overview
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced that the Indonesian government had postponed the start date for mandatory halal certification of food and beverages and other products from overseas. Companies and industry associations said they did not have enough time to prepare. The postponement is intended to give companies and others enough time to comply. It does not abolish the system, and exporters are urged to continue preparing for the requirement.
Key points
- The Indonesian government postponed the start date for mandatory halal certification of food and beverages and other products from overseas.
- The postponement does not abolish the system.
- The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is calling on exporters to continue preparing for the requirement.
Overview
A Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries press release informs exporters that the Indonesian government has postponed the start date. The postponement follows concerns from companies and industry associations that there was not enough time to prepare.
The Indonesian government announced the postponement of the start date so that companies and others would have enough time to comply. The announcement concerns mandatory halal certification of food and beverages and other products from overseas.
Impact
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is urging exporters to continue preparing for the mandatory requirement after the postponement. The system is not being eliminated, so the guidance calls for continued preparation.
Details
The postponement concerns the start date for mandatory halal certification of food and beverages and other products entering Indonesia from overseas. The previously scheduled start date has changed, but the mandatory certification system itself has not been abolished.
The reference material is a press release from the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of Indonesia. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries lists its Export and International Affairs Bureau's Regulatory Affairs Group as the contact point, with the Overseas Affairs Office identified as the responsible desk.