MUI: US Products in Indonesia Still Subject to Mandatory Halal Certification
MUI Head of Fatwa Asrorun Ni'am Sholeh has stated that the notion that American products entering Indonesia need not obtain halal certification stems from a trade agreement between the Indonesian and United States governments.
However, he said, products entering Indonesian territory are obliged to hold halal certification. The halal certification requirement cannot be negotiated, including by the US government. This obligation is stipulated under Law No. 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Assurance.
"The law states that all products entering and circulating in Indonesia must hold halal certification," said the head of the An-Nahdlah Islamic Boarding School in Depok, West Java, in an official statement on MUI Digital on Saturday, 21 February 2026.
He said halal product assurance regulations constitute an implementation of human rights protection, specifically the right to religious freedom. The principle of trade in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh muamalah) does not rest on who one's trading partner is, but rather on the rules of engagement.
According to him, Indonesia may conduct trade transactions with any country. However, trade transactions must be carried out with mutual respect, mutual benefit, and free from political pressure.
He recounted having visited various US states as part of a cooperation process with halal bodies. During those visits, Ni'am observed that the halal certification system is recognised in the United States.
"If America speaks about human rights, then halal certification is part of implementing respect and appreciation for the most fundamental right — the right to religious freedom," he said.
According to Ni'am, halal consumption is a religious obligation. This obligation cannot be negotiated or bartered against price. "For example, we might buy goods cheaply, but they are not halal. Even if given for free, if they are not halal, they must not be consumed," he said.
Nevertheless, the Chairman of the Alumni Council of the Nahdlatul Ulama Students' Association proposed room for compromise on technical aspects, such as administrative simplification, reporting transparency, cost efficiency, and processing time. However, the substantive aspect of halal compliance must not be compromised.
He also urged the public not to purchase non-halal products. "Avoid food products that are not halal or whose halal status is unclear, including US products that do not comply with halal regulations," he said.
The Indonesian and United States governments officially signed a reciprocal trade agreement, known as the Agreement of Reciprocal Trade (ART), in Washington D.C. on Friday morning, 20 February 2026, Indonesian time.
One of the provisions concerns the exemption of halal certification and labelling requirements for a number of US-origin products in Indonesia, such as cosmetics, medical devices, and manufactured goods. On the other hand, Indonesia will permit halal certification bodies in the US recognised by the national halal authority to certify imported products without additional requirements.
However, he said, products entering Indonesian territory are obliged to hold halal certification. The halal certification requirement cannot be negotiated, including by the US government. This obligation is stipulated under Law No. 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Assurance.
"The law states that all products entering and circulating in Indonesia must hold halal certification," said the head of the An-Nahdlah Islamic Boarding School in Depok, West Java, in an official statement on MUI Digital on Saturday, 21 February 2026.
He said halal product assurance regulations constitute an implementation of human rights protection, specifically the right to religious freedom. The principle of trade in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh muamalah) does not rest on who one's trading partner is, but rather on the rules of engagement.
According to him, Indonesia may conduct trade transactions with any country. However, trade transactions must be carried out with mutual respect, mutual benefit, and free from political pressure.
He recounted having visited various US states as part of a cooperation process with halal bodies. During those visits, Ni'am observed that the halal certification system is recognised in the United States.
"If America speaks about human rights, then halal certification is part of implementing respect and appreciation for the most fundamental right — the right to religious freedom," he said.
According to Ni'am, halal consumption is a religious obligation. This obligation cannot be negotiated or bartered against price. "For example, we might buy goods cheaply, but they are not halal. Even if given for free, if they are not halal, they must not be consumed," he said.
Nevertheless, the Chairman of the Alumni Council of the Nahdlatul Ulama Students' Association proposed room for compromise on technical aspects, such as administrative simplification, reporting transparency, cost efficiency, and processing time. However, the substantive aspect of halal compliance must not be compromised.
He also urged the public not to purchase non-halal products. "Avoid food products that are not halal or whose halal status is unclear, including US products that do not comply with halal regulations," he said.
The Indonesian and United States governments officially signed a reciprocal trade agreement, known as the Agreement of Reciprocal Trade (ART), in Washington D.C. on Friday morning, 20 February 2026, Indonesian time.
One of the provisions concerns the exemption of halal certification and labelling requirements for a number of US-origin products in Indonesia, such as cosmetics, medical devices, and manufactured goods. On the other hand, Indonesia will permit halal certification bodies in the US recognised by the national halal authority to certify imported products without additional requirements.