Overview of Algeria's Halal Market Economy

Algeria, with a population of nearly 43 million, is one of the countries on the northern coast of the African continent overlooking the Mediterranean. Its population is almost entirely Muslim, and it is a member of the OIC and SMIIC. The Algerian Institute of Standardization (IANOR) represents the country at SMIIC.

Algeria's economy is largely state-led. Hydrocarbons are the backbone of the country's economy, accounting for about 30% of Algeria's GDP, 60% of budget revenue and 95% of export revenue. However, in recent years, due to falling oil prices, the Algerian government has begun to implement various economic decisions in order to build a growing structure in sectors other than hydrocarbons.

Halal certification activities

Under Articles 2 and 4 of the Council of Ministers decree of 14 June 2016, which regulates Algeria's Halal certification system, IANOR decided to create a Halal mark to ensure that consumers can safely obtain these products and to allow Algerian companies to gain a larger share of the global Halal food market. The Algerian Halal mark aims to ensure the traceability of Halal products produced by Algerian companies and to guarantee consumers' confidence in the reliability of these products.

The Halal mark is a unique national collective mark owned by IANOR, guaranteeing compatibility with the standards specifying Algeria's Halal product requirements. These standards are developed on the basis of the standards of the OIC's Standards and Metrology Institute for the Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and other existing standards.

Although the Halal mark was designed within the framework of an advisory committee bringing together all stakeholders, it is also intended to ensure strict compliance with the rules of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) regarding Halal certification.

This approach aims to make the Halal mark a national trademark and to establish international recognition, in order to help Algerian companies explain the Halal nature of their products around the world.

The Halal mark certification process is divided into the following stages:

The applicant organization is audited by a team of two auditors (IANOR), consisting of a food safety or good manufacturing practice expert and a religious affairs expert.

Depending on the nature of the product or the requirements of the inspection team, samples are submitted to an IANOR-authorized laboratory for analysis.

If the inspection report is positive, the applicant is entitled to attach the Halal mark to the relevant products upon certification.

Two surveillance audits are conducted in the first and second years after certification, with renewal after three years to ensure that this right of use is maintained.

Algeria has established an Algerian Halal Certification and Halal Mark Follow-up Committee, whose members include the Pasteur Institute of Algeria and representatives of the ministries of commerce, agriculture, industry, health and religious affairs, as well as other relevant public bodies and organizations. In addition to the Halal certification procedure, the Halal Certification and Halal Mark Tracking Committee, responsible for reviewing the applicable regulations in the field of Halal food and providing remarks, will also carry out the approval of Halal conformity assessment bodies authorized by the official authorities of the exporting country for imported products. Algeria also hopes to undertake a process of mutual recognition of Halal documents with international Halal certification conformity assessment organizations, in order to facilitate the entry of its products into international markets.