Deadline for Halal labeling in Indonesia pushed back

A requirement by the Muslim-majority nation of Indonesia that vaccines, pharmaceuticals, food and cosmetics be certified in compliance with Islamic dietary laws will not go into effect until at least 2024, officials announced in February, 2019.

The decision pushes back a previous deadline of this October for halal labels in response to opposition by industry leaders and concerns the move could threaten supplies of life-saving medicines.

The law had been promoted as a way to boost exports of pharmaceuticals and food products to Muslim countries. But the certifications remain costly and difficult to obtain.