In line with the implementation of the Halal Product Assurance (JPH) policy as outlined in Article No. 11 of 2020 on Job Creation and its derivative regulation, Government Regulation (PP) No. 39 of 2021, the Indonesian government held an internal meeting at the Merdeka Palace on May 15 to expedite the mandatory halal certification process and discuss the progress of the JPH Regulation Draft. The policy implementation has faced challenges, particularly in the duration of the halal determination process, prompting the need for changes to the Job Creation Law, established through Law No. 6 of 2023, to expand the institutions authorized to determine product halal status. Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto explained that the recent meeting with the President focused on revising PP No. 39 of 2021 as regulated by the Job Creation Law. One significant change includes expanding the authority to determine product halal status beyond the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to include Provincial and District/City MUI, the Aceh Ulema Consultative Assembly, and the Halal Product Fatwa Committee. Until the Halal Product Fatwa Committee is established, the Ministry of Religious Affairs will perform its duties.
A draft revision of PP No. 39 of 2021 is being prepared to accommodate these changes, incorporating additional inspection scopes and harmonizing regulations between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. According to PP No. 39 of 2021, mandatory halal certification for food, beverages, slaughtered products, and slaughtering services is due by October 17, 2024. However, the certification target has not been met, with only 4,418,343 products certified out of the 10 million target. Thus, President Joko Widodo decided to extend the compliance deadline for MSMEs in food, beverages, traditional medicines, cosmetics, household goods, and medical devices to 2026. Medium and large enterprises must comply by October 17, 2024, while the deadline for micro and small enterprises, as well as imported products, is extended to October 17, 2026, pending Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA) with other countries. Currently, 16 countries have signed MRAs with Indonesia, enabling their certified halal products to enter the Indonesian market.
