JAKARTA - The trade agreement regarding reciprocal tariffs or the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) between Indonesia and the United States lists a number of categories of US products that are exempt from halal certification obligations when entering the Indonesian market.
However, Spokesperson for the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Haryo Limanseto said that this policy does not apply to all products and the exemption of halal certification is only applied to certain products.
He added that for food and beverage products from the US, the halal certification obligation still applies.
"No (it applies to all). Indonesia still applies halal certification for food and beverage products," he said in a statement, Sunday, February 22.
He emphasized that Indonesia would still maintain the halal certification rules for food and beverages to protect domestic consumers, if a product contains non-halal elements, then the manufacturer must clearly list the non-halal label.
The product categories that obtained certification exemptions include cosmetics, health equipment (alkes), and various other manufactured goods.
However, Haryo said that these products must still meet quality and safety standards, including the implementation of good manufacturing practices and the provision of detailed product content information.
He added that this step is intended so that consumers in Indonesia can still get transparency about the products used.
Furthermore, Indonesia and the US have also cooperated through the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) scheme with the Foreign Halal Agency (LHLN) in the US.
Haryo emphasized that through this cooperation, halal certification issued in the US can be recognized for its validity in Indonesia.
"This is needed in line with the increasing demand from the Indonesian market for high-quality halal products, especially meat products and other consumer goods from the US," he added.
Previously, in the document Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Indonesia on Reciprocal Trade in Annex III Article 2.9 it was stated that the relaxation of halal provisions is aimed at supporting the export of cosmetics, medical devices, and other manufactured goods from the US to Indonesia.
"With the aim of facilitating the export of cosmetics, medical devices, and other manufactured goods that may require halal certification, Indonesia will exempt US products from any halal certification and halal labeling requirements," the document reads, quoted Saturday, February 21.
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