On September 18, 2026, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and Indonesia's Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Halal Product Certification Cooperation.
This signing is a concrete implementation, in the field of halal certification, of the Joint Statement on the Special Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (SCSP) issued jointly by Indonesia and South Korea in March 2026. It aims to build an intergovernmental cooperation channel to help South Korean food and cosmetics companies prepare for Indonesia's mandatory halal certification, which will take effect on October 18, 2026. CIRS Group has summarized the main contents of the MoU as follows for your reference.
Three Major Areas of Cooperation
According to the MoU, the two countries will carry out the following three areas of cooperation in the field of halal product certification:
- Cooperation in technology, human resources, infrastructure and R&D: with a focus on Halal Product Assurance, the two sides will take joint actions in technology, human resources, infrastructure, and research and development;
- Information sharing between the two countries' halal certification bodies: mutual notification and exchange of information on halal certification bodies recognized by both sides;
- Regular information exchange on halal certification systems and policies: establishing a regular mechanism for exchanging policy and regulatory information to keep both sides updated on each other's regulatory developments in a timely manner.
Alignment with Indonesia's Mandatory Halal Certification Timeline
- Indonesia has been implementing mandatory halal certification in phases since 2019. For cosmetics, mandatory certification will be enforced from October 18, 2026.
- On September 16, 2026, BPJPH confirmed that the mandatory period will be implemented as scheduled without postponement, and required that imported products and ingredients start compliance preparations in their countries of origin.
- This MoU is a forward-looking intergovernmental cooperation mechanism established by MFDS with BPJPH ahead of this policy window, aiming to provide channels for exchanges on certification systems and technology for South Korean exporters, thereby easing the institutional and technical compliance difficulties they face.
Significance
The signing of this MoU will lay the groundwork for deeper regulatory dialogue between South Korea and Indonesia on halal-related requirements for food and cosmetics. It is expected that subsequent institutional and technical information sharing via the newly-established inter-governmental cooperation channel will advance alignment of South Korea’s cosmetic safety control framework with Indonesia’s halal certification rules.
This is especially critical for South Korean cosmetic exporters facing Indonesia’s mandatory halal certification. Improved regulatory communication can help local cosmetic manufacturers simplify origin-country compliance preparations, reduce technical and regulatory barriers, and enable smoother market access to Indonesia ahead of the new halal mandate.
If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.
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