In a Meeting with MUI, Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto Reaffirms Commitment to Halal Product Guarantees in the Indonesia–US Trade Agreement

Indonesia’s government reiterated its commitment to ensuring that national interests remain protected in every trade agreement, including halal aspects anchored in consumer protection, business certainty, and the strengthening of industrial competitiveness.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto urged that the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) between Indonesia and the United States (US) proceed within the boundaries of shariah and national regulations on halal product guarantees (JPH).

This is part of the government’s efforts to safeguard the ummah and national economic sovereignty.

The statement was delivered by Airlangga at a meeting with senior leaders of the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) in the Buya Hamka Hall, MUI Central Office, Jakarta, on Tuesday (3/3/2026).

He emphasised that Indonesia and the US already have a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) under which Indonesia recognises halal certificates issued by foreign halal authorities (LHLN) in the US, provided the body is recognised and accredited by the Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal (BPJPH).

Currently, five LHLNs in the US have MRAs from BPJPH: Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA), American Halal Foundation (AHF), Islamic Services of America (ISA), Halal Transactions of Omaha (HTO), and Islamic Society of the Washington Area (ISWA) through the Halal Certification Department.

In the meeting, Airlangga noted that there are now around 38 countries with MRA schemes with Indonesia.

For agricultural products, particularly meat and slaughtered products, Indonesia accepts halal slaughter practices from the US that comply with Islamic law or in line with the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The standards have integrated halal and metrology rules globally.

BPJPH has also conducted direct audits of halal bodies in the US to ensure compliance.

“Of course, the government remains committed to coordinating with the MUI as the main umbrella for halal in Indonesia,” Airlangga stated.

Also present were Secretary of the Kemenko Perekonomian Susiwijono Moegiarso, Deputy for Coordination of Economic Cooperation and Investment of the Kemenko Perekonomian Edi Prio Pambudi, Senior Expert Staff on Productivity Development and Economic Competitiveness of the Kemenko Perekonomian Evita Manthovani, as well as the leadership and advisory boards of MUI.