The Parliament passed a bill on halal products in September 2014 and on 17 October 2014 the President enacted the bill as Law No. 33 of 2014 on Guaranty for Halal Products (Law 33 of 2014). Law 33 of 2014 requires that all products imported, distributed, or traded in Indonesia bear a halal certificate. However, products that are considered not halal are exempted from obtaining the halal certificate provided that such products provide sufficient statement informing the non-halal nature of the products. Products covered under Law 33 of 2014 are very wide, including products or services relating to food, beverages, medicines, cosmetics, chemical products, biological products, genetically engineered products, or any other goods that can be used by humans.
Under Law 33 of 2014, halal certificates will be issued by the Halal Product Guaranty Agency (BPJPH – Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal), a governmental agency which must be established by the government at the latest 3 years after the enactment of Law 33 of 2014 and which will be under the supervision of the Minister of Religious Affairs. The process of verifying whether or not a product is halal will be carried out by the Halal Inspection Institution (LPH – Lembaga Pemeriksa Halal), which will be established by the government or the public, and must be accredited by BPJPH. In conducting the verification process, the LPH can perform the verification and checking of the products within or outside the manufacturing facility.
Until the BPJPH is established, the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI – Majelis Ulama Indonesia) is still authorized to issue halal certificates.
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