by Weisin ChaiOn October 17, 2014, Indonesia published Law Number 33 Year 2014 Regarding Halal Product Assurance. Article 4 of the law requires imports, distribution or sells of all halal food, drink, drugs, cosmetics, chemical, biological or genetically engineered products and consumer products to obtain halal certification. Business operators for non-halal products are exempt from application for halal certification.The halal products may originate from animals, plants, microbes or products produced through chemical, biological or genetic engineering processes. They include raw materials, processed materials, additives, and auxiliary materials. Products derived from carcass, blood, pig and/or animals slaughtered not in accordance to sharia or Islamic law are non-halal.Business operators who apply for halal certification have the following obligations:* Provide correct, clear and truthful information;* Separate the location, place and equipment to prepare, process, store, package, distribute, sell and present halal product from non-halal products;* Assign a halal supervisor who is responsible for all activities related to halal product assurance;* Report changes of material composition to the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal, BPJPH).The following information shall be included in the application for halal certification:* Details of the business operator;* Product name and type of product;* Materials used in the product;* Manufacturing process(es) of the product.The application fee is based on the size and type of industries, currently ranging from Rp.2.000.000 (about USD 150) to Rp.4.500.000 (about USD 337), per product. Please refer to the website under References for more details.Business operators who have obtained the halal certification are obligated to:* Attach a halal label on the product(s) which have obtained halal certification;* Maintain the “halalness” of the product(s);* Separate the location, place and equipment to prepare, process, store, package, distribute, sell and present halal product(s) from non-halal product(s);* Renew the halal certificate before it expires;* Report changes of material composition to the BPJPH.BPJPH establishes the Halal Examination Agency (Lembaga Pemeriksa Halal, LPH) to deal with inspection or testing of halal products. LPH appoints a halal auditor to perform inspection or testing. Inspection or testing reports shall be submitted by the LPH to the BPJPH and later be submitted to the Indonesia Ulama Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia, MUI) for a final decision. Once the application is approved, the BPJPH will release the halal certification to the applicant within 7 working days from the date of MUI’s approval. The halal certificate is valid for 4 years and shall be renewed 3 months before the expiration.For further details of the Law, readers may refer to the below websites.References:Indonesia Law No. 33 Year 2014 Regarding Halal Product Assurance: http://simbi.kemenag.go.id/halal/assets/collections/newsletter/files/55642ca917160.pdfIndonesia Halal Product Certificate Application Fee: https://jambi.kemenag.go.id/files/jambi/file/file/PRODUKHALAL/uihw1373589091.pdf