Indonesia Defends Halal Rules Amid US Trade Criticism

Indonesia’s Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the nation’s largest Muslim group, has defended the country’s mandatory halal certification for imported goods after the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) labeled the policy a “technical barrier to trade,” Jakarta Globe reported.

NU Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf asserted Indonesia’s sovereign right to enforce halal standards, calling them essential for its Muslim-majority population.

The USTR’s 2025 report criticized Indonesia’s broad halal requirements—covering food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other products—for lacking WTO transparency and imposing costly compliance burdens. It cited delayed accreditation for foreign certifiers due to complex paperwork and rigid auditor quotas.

Indonesia’s 2014 Halal Product Assurance Law mandates certification across production, storage, and distribution. Yahya countered that non-halal goods can still enter but cannot claim halal status, noting other Muslim-majority nations have stricter rules.

The dispute underscores tensions between trade liberalization and religious consumer protections, with Indonesia prioritizing domestic values over U.S. export concerns.