Indonesia Released a List of Materials Exempted from Halal Certification

On 14 June 2022, the World Trade Organization released the draft decree of the List of materials exempted from Halal certification notified by Indonesia. This decree has entered into force from December 27, 2021.

Known as the Halal Positive List, it contains several raw materials and substances of different categories. The raw materials and substances in the List are identified as halal materials and can be exempted from Halal certification due to their properties. The Halal Positive List not only includes many natural sources of ingredients such as essential oil, menthol and neroli oil but also over 4000 synthetic chemicals, including titanium dioxide and pigments. Raw materials and chemicals included in the Halal Positive List can be directly exported to Indonesia without fulfilling the obligation of Halal certification, which significantly eases the trade burden of enterprises.

Materials exempted from the obligation of Halal certification are as follows:

• Materials derived from nature without any further process or physical process and addition of any auxiliary substances, additives, or other substances, consist of:
  • Materials from plants without any further process or physical process and addition of auxiliary substances, additives, or other substances;
  • Materials from non-slaughtered animals without any further process or physical process and addition of auxiliary substances, additives, or other substances;
  • Materials from the microbial fermentation process without any further process or physical process and addition of auxiliary substances, additives, or other substances; and
  • Materials from natural water without any further process or physical process and without addition of auxiliary substances, additives, or other substances;
• Materials which are no risk of containing and/or being contaminated by non-halal substances, consisting of materials derived from nature as well as substances and chemical products from mining activities or inorganic and organic synthesized chemicals; and;
• Non-dangerous chemicals and not containing haram substances, consist of:
  • Chemicals sourced from mining activities and/or purification processes of natural materials;
  • Inorganic and organic synthesized chemicals.

Introduction to Halal Certification

Indonesia requires that food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemicals, biological, and genetically modified related products (products included in the exemption list excluded) should obtain the Halal certification before they are exported to Indonesia. The Halal Certification was formally handed over to the Indonesian government on 17 Oct. 2019 after the the Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal (BPJPH) of Indonesia was established.

Here is the implementation plan for Halal certification:

Further Information

WTO Notification