On 7 August 2026 the Indonesian body BPJPH and Sweden's Scandinavian Halal Certification signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement. The news may seem far removed from Italy, but it explains exactly how the mechanism works that allows an Italian agri-food company to sell in Indonesia without re-certifying in Jakarta. Here is what it means in practice.
On 7 August 2026, Indonesia's government agency for Halal product assurance — BPJPH (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal) — signed a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with Sweden's Scandinavian Halal Certification (SHC). The aim, as reported by RRI.co.id and picked up by HalalFocus, is to facilitate international Halal trade and strengthen Indonesia's role in setting global standards.
An MRA is, in essence, a bilateral agreement under which two bodies recognise each other: the certificate issued by one is accepted by the other without having to repeat the entire verification process. For Indonesia, which from 18 October 2026 will make Halal certification mandatory for all processed products sold in the country, building this network of agreements is a strategic priority.
At first glance, an agreement between Indonesia and Sweden seems to have nothing to do with Italy. In fact it highlights a mechanism that also applies to Italian agri-food businesses: the choice of European certifier matters, because it determines whether or not the certificate is accepted directly in Indonesia.
BPJPH publishes and updates a list of recognised foreign certification bodies. Only certificates issued by bodies on that list allow an imported product to circulate legally in Indonesia once the requirement takes effect. HQC Italia is among the bodies recognised by BPJPH, as well as by MUI: this means that an Italian company that obtains Halal certification from HQC can export to Indonesia without having to start a separate procedure with a local body.
Every new MRA signed by BPJPH widens the network of accepted certifiers. The agreement with SHC shows that Indonesia is speeding up this process and that, in the near future, the number of recognised European bodies could grow further. For an Italian company, this makes it even more urgent to find out whether its current certifier is already on the BPJPH list.
If an Italian company exports processed products to Indonesia with a Halal certificate issued by a body not recognised by BPJPH, from 18 October 2026 that certificate will not be enough to clear the goods through customs. The practical consequences may include:
The problem does not only concern those already exporting. Many Italian companies are considering Indonesia as a new outlet market right now: starting out with an unrecognised certificate means building on unstable foundations.
The process by which a European certification body becomes recognised by BPJPH involves a technical assessment, verification of the standards adopted and, often, the signing of a formal bilateral agreement — exactly what BPJPH has just done with SHC. HQC Italia has completed this process and is on the official BPJPH list.
For an Italian agri-food company, the operational path is as follows:
Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. Signing MRAs with European bodies, such as the one concluded with SHC on 7 August 2026, is part of a deliberate strategy to attract Halal-certified products from around the world, broaden the range on offer domestically and at the same time ensure that checks are rigorous.
For Italian agri-food companies — particularly those producing processed foods, ingredients, condiments, bakery products and dairy derivatives — Indonesia is a high-potential market, provided their Halal documentation is in order and recognised by the local authorities.
If your company exports or wants to export to Indonesia, the first thing to check is whether your current Halal certificate — assuming you have one — was issued by a BPJPH-recognised body. If you do not yet have certification or are considering changing it, HQC Italia can provide a free quote within 24 hours and tell you which markets the certification covers for your specific sector.
Source: HalalFocus, «Indonesia Strengthens Global Halal Standards with Sweden Pact», 14 August 2026, based on RRI.co.id, Misni Parjiati, 7 August 2026.
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