HQC Italia is the first Halal certification body in Europe, operating since 1983 and recognised by the authorities of the main Islamic markets. We issue Halal certificates recognised in more than 50 Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia (SASO), the United Arab Emirates (EIAC), Indonesia (BPJPH), Malaysia (JAKIM) and Singapore (MUI).
Halal certification attests that a product, a production process or a service complies with the principles of Islamic Sharia. The term "Halal" (حلال) means "lawful, permitted" and applies to every aspect of life, with particular regard to food, cosmetics, medicines and the meat supply chain.
For Italian companies, the Halal certificate is a mandatory requirement for exporting to the markets of the Middle East, North Africa and South-East Asia. Without this certification, products cannot be marketed in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia (from 2026 under the BPJPH decree), Malaysia and Qatar.
The Halal certification process with HQC Italia follows a rigorous scheme compliant with the international standards OIC/SMIIC 2:2019 and GSO 2055-2:2021:
| Stage | Description | Indicative duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Application and Documentation | Completion of the application form, submission of the ingredient list, technical data sheets and certificates of analysis. | 3-5 days |
| 2. Preliminary Evaluation | Document review of materials and Halal risk assessment (Critical/High/Medium/Low classification). | 5-7 days |
| 3. Stage 1 Audit (Documentary) | Review of the Halal management system, the HAP manual and internal procedures (may be off-site). | 1 day |
| 4. Stage 2 Audit (On Site) | Physical inspection of the plant, verification of Halal/non-Halal segregation, sampling for laboratory analysis. | 1-2 days |
| 5. Laboratory Analysis | DNA, HPLC and GC-MS tests to detect undeclared animal species, alcohol or contaminants (mandatory for Critical/High-Risk products). | 7-15 days |
| 6. Corrective Actions | Any non-conformities must be closed before the certificate is issued. | Variable |
| 7. Certification Decision | The HQC Italia Decision Committee evaluates the complete dossier and decides unanimously. | 3-5 days |
| 8. Certificate Issue and Surveillance | Issue of the Factory Halal Certificate (valid 1-3 years) with annual surveillance audits. | Immediate |
| Certificate type | Validity | Intended use |
|---|---|---|
| Factory Halal Certificate | 1-3 years (renewable) | Certification of the production plant and its Halal management system. |
| Halal Shipment Certificate | Per individual shipment/batch | Mandatory for export to Saudi Arabia (since 1 October 2024), the UAE, Qatar and other GCC countries. |
| Halal Suitability Declaration | From 1 day to 1 year | Declaration of Halal suitability for a single ingredient or raw material. |
The cost of Halal certification depends on several factors: number of production sites, complexity of the production process, number of SKUs to be certified, Halal risk of the materials and need for laboratory analysis.
Since 1 October 2024 Saudi Arabia has required the Halal Shipment Certificate for all food products bearing the Halal logo or Halal label. The certificate must bear the Saudi Halal Center logo. HQC Italia is authorised to issue HSA (slaughterhouses) and HSB (other products) certificates.
With BPJPH Decree 78/2023, Indonesia made Halal certification mandatory for 7 product categories: food and beverages, cosmetics, medicines, chemical products, biological products, food-processing products and items that come into contact with food. From 2026 coverage will be extended progressively. HQC Italia is aligned with BPJPH standards and can certify Italian companies seeking access to the Indonesian market.
For export to the UAE, the EIAC logo on the Halal certificate is mandatory. HQC Italia is recognised by the Emirates International Accreditation Centre and can issue certificates compliant with the UAE.S 2055-1:2015 standard.
JAKIM recognition is among the most prestigious in the world. HQC Italia is recognised by JAKIM and can issue certificates compliant with the MS 1500:2019 standard, required for access to the Malaysian market.
The fundamental difference between a recognised Halal certification body and a non-recognised one lies in international recognition:
Choosing a body recognised by the authority of the importing country is therefore an investment in security, not merely an administrative expense.
The market for Halal cosmetics is growing fast. The OIC/SMIIC 4:2018 standard sets out the requirements for raw materials, production, labelling and packaging. Main constraints: ban on pork-derived ingredients, ban on ethyl alcohol for external use (with mandatory labelling), nanomaterials prohibited unless proven safe, and GMP compliance according to ISO 22716.
Halal slaughter follows strict rules: the animal must be healthy and alive at the time of slaughter, the slaughterman must be an adult, certified Muslim, and the instruments must be sharp and dedicated exclusively to Halal slaughter. Stunning is prohibited in all forms, except electric shock with specific parameters. The minimum bleeding time for poultry is 180 seconds.
Request a free quote and find out how Halal certification can open the doors of Islamic markets to your company.
The following pages go into detail on the most frequent cases:
News and analysis on Halal markets, regulations and export requirements for Italian companies are published in the English section of our blog.
HQC Italia - Halal Quality Control
Viale Giorgio Ribotta, 11
00144 Rome (RM), Italy
📧 anis.youssef@halaloffice.com
🌐 www.hqcitalia.com
Legal notes: HQC Italia operates in accordance with the international standards OIC/SMIIC 1:2019, OIC/SMIIC 2:2019, OIC/SMIIC 4:2018, GSO 2055-1:2015, GSO 2055-2:2021, UAE.S 2055-1:2015, UAE.S 2055-2:2016, MS 1500:2019 and BPJPH Decree 78/2023.