The Head of the Indonesian Council of Islamic Scholars (MUI)\u2019s Da\u2019wah\nDivision, Zaitun Rasmin, believes that American businesses will likely\ncontinue to use halal labels if they want to penetrate the Indonesian\nmarket. Without halal certification, Zaitun says, their products may not\nsell well in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Zaitun is confident that businesses in the United States understand\nthe characteristics of the Indonesian market, which is predominantly\nMuslim and has a high level of concern for halal-labelled products.\n\u201cTherefore, I am sure they do not want to suffer losses by entering here\nwithout a halal label,\u201d Zaitun said in a written statement on Tuesday,\n24 February 2026.<\/p>\n
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Zaitun added that it is possible that products from the United States\nalready have halal certification in their country of origin. However, he\nsaid, the problem arises in the administrative aspect or the equivalence\nof foreign halal certification bodies with those in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Zaitun encourages the Indonesian government and halal\nauthorities to accelerate the process of equating credible foreign halal\ncertification bodies. The aim is to prevent double certification, which\ncould hinder trade flows.<\/p>\n
This statement from the Head of MUI\u2019s Da\u2019wah Division responds to\nnews that US products will not need halal labels to enter Indonesia\nafter the signing of a trade agreement by President Prabowo Subianto and\nUS President Donald Trump last week.<\/p>\n
The Agency for the Organisation of Halal Product Guarantee (BPJPH)\nstated that the news is incorrect. \u201cIt is not true that the information\ncirculating in the community is that American products entering\nIndonesia do not need a halal label,\u201d said the Head of BPJPH, Ahmad\nHaikal Hasan, in a written statement on Tuesday, 24 February 2026.<\/p>\n
Haikal claims that the halal certification of imported US products\nwill comply with Indonesian regulations and be carried out\ntransparently. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, when it comes to halal, there is nothing\nthat is kept secret, nothing that is hidden. Nothing is violated,\u201d said\nHaikal.<\/p>\n
According to Haikal, the halal label requirements between Indonesia\nand the US are set out in the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA). The\nMRA is a form of recognition of halal standards between BPJPH and\nForeign Halal Certification Bodies (LHLN) in the United States. Haikal\nsaid that this agreement has been in effect before the signing of the\nIndonesia-US trade agreement last week.<\/p>\n
Haikal said that when the halal authorities in the US have already\ngiven a halal label, then Indonesia does not need to re-examine the\nhalal status of the product. \u201cIt will only be registered, and will not\nbe processed from the beginning,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Indonesian and American governments officially signed\na reciprocal trade agreement in Washington D.C., United States, on\nThursday, 19 February 2026. The trade agreement discusses import tariffs\nand the removal of trade barriers and was signed by Prabowo Subianto and\nDonald Trump.<\/p>\n
Following the agreement, Indonesia provides halal certification\nexemptions for a number of US products entering the country, including\ncosmetics, medical devices, and manufactured goods. However, cosmetic\nand medical device products must still obtain marketing authorisation\nfrom the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) before they can\nbe marketed in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s Choice: Explanation from the Association Regarding Extortion\nin Halal Certification.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/american-businesses-face-losses-without-indonesian-halal-certification-says-mui-1771931337", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }