How do Muslim countries plan to require products to indicate 'Halal' status?

According to reports, Middle Eastern countries plan to require incoming products to be labeled 'Halal' or 'non-Halal,' using this as a basis for deciding whether to allow certain products to enter. This means companies exporting to these Muslim countries will gain an advantage if they can 'Halal'-certify their goods and services.

What is the purpose of the MOU signed between the Philippines and the UAE's ESMA?

The Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (UAE-ESMA) to facilitate Halal certification of Philippine exporters to the UAE—Halal certification bodies accredited by the PAB will automatically be recognized by the UAE. This reduces technical barriers: products will not be re-tested, there is no additional certification, and the UAE's Halal certification program is becoming international, with certified products able to enter multiple markets in the region, thus reducing export costs (previously paying for multiple certificate fees, now only one).

Muslim Countries Will Soon Require 'Halal' Certification

According to reports, Middle Eastern countries plan to require incoming products to be labeled 'Halal' or 'non-Halal.'

Senen Perlada, Director of the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), said at a press conference that Philippine companies exporting to these Muslim countries will gain an advantage if they can 'Halal'-certify their goods and services.

Senen Perlada said: 'Some Muslim countries plan to have exporters declare whether their products are Halal or non-Halal, and on this basis they can have grounds to decide whether to allow certain products to enter. For the Philippines, what is most important is to have stronger Halal certification and regulation.'

Senen Perlada noted that 'Halal' certification abroad is very complex. For example, Philippine exporters to Muslim countries should obtain 'Halal' certification from a certification body accredited by the Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB), and this certification body should be recognized by the accreditation body of that particular Muslim country.

On this basis, the PAB and the United Arab Emirates - Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (UAE-ESMA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to facilitate 'Halal' certification of Philippine exporters to the UAE. Under the MOU, those 'Halal' certification bodies accredited by the PAB will automatically be recognized by the UAE.

UAE-ESMA Director General Abdulla Abdelqader Al Maeeni noted that the MOU with the PAB also reduces technical barriers for Philippine exporters focusing on the UAE market.

Abdulla Abdelqader Al Maeeni said: 'There will be no significant barriers. It will not be re-tested, and there is no additional certification. The UAE's Halal certification program is becoming international.'

This means that UAE-ESMA's certification is also recognized in other countries, and those 'Halal'-certified products can enter several markets in the region. In effect, the cost of exporting to these Muslim countries will be reduced.

'Previously, they paid for several certificate fees; now they only pay for one certificate fee,' the UAE-ESMA official noted.

Senen Perlada said that through cooperation with UAE-ESMA, the Philippines believes the country will become a distribution hub for its 'Halal'-certified export products and services to neighboring Muslim countries.

FAQ

How do Muslim countries plan to require products to indicate 'Halal' status?: According to reports, Middle Eastern countries plan to require incoming products to be labeled 'Halal' or 'non-Halal,' using this as a basis for deciding whether to allow certain products to enter. This means companies exporting to these Muslim countries will gain an advantage if they can 'Halal'-certify their goods and services.
What is the purpose of the MOU signed between the Philippines and the UAE's ESMA?: The Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (UAE-ESMA) to facilitate Halal certification of Philippine exporters to the UAE—Halal certification bodies accredited by the PAB will automatically be recognized by the UAE. This reduces technical barriers: products will not be re-tested, there is no additional certification, and the UAE's Halal certification program is becoming international, with certified products able to enter multiple markets in the region, thus reducing export costs (previously paying for multiple certificate fees, now only one).

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