Halal certification for meat: certification bodies, certificates and export recognition
There is no single halal certification, but certification bodies and countries that do not all recognise the same certificates. Here is how it works for meat, from the slaughterman to the certificate that travels with each lot, and what an importer should check.
In this article
- There is no single, worldwide halal certification: each importing country decides which certification bodies it recognises, and against which standard.
- For meat, certification works on three levels: slaughter (slaughterman, method, stunning or not), the plant, then each shipped lot with its own certificate.
- Before buying or selling, the right question is not “is it halal?” but “will the certificate be accepted by the authority and the customer in the destination country?”.
What halal certification guarantees, and what it does not
A halal certificate states that a product was obtained under Islamic rules as a certification body interprets and inspects them. For meat, this mainly covers the species, the slaughter (invocation, bleeding, Muslim slaughterman) and the separation from non-halal products all the way to packing.
“Halal” has no common legal definition in the European Union or in the United Kingdom. The Codex Alimentarius General Guidelines for Use of the Term “Halal” (CAC/GL 24-1997) give a general framework for using the word on labels, but the practical requirements are set by certification bodies and, above all, by the authorities of importing countries.
Halal certification does not replace food safety: the slaughterhouse’s veterinary approval and the official health certificate remain mandatory, whatever the religious certification.
The three levels of halal certification for meat
1. Slaughter and the slaughterman
The animal is slaughtered by a Muslim slaughterman, with a swift bleed. Several countries regulate who may perform religious slaughter; in France, for instance, article R214-75 of the Rural Code reserves ritual slaughter to slaughtermen authorised by religious bodies approved by the Minister of Agriculture; in England, the slaughterman must be a Muslim holding a certificate (WATOK Regulations 2015, Schedule 3). Stunning is covered below: it is the point that divides markets the most.
2. The plant
The certification body audits the slaughterhouse and, where relevant, the cutting plant: procedures, segregation of flows, cleaning, traceability, staff training. The plant receives a certificate valid for a period set by the body, renewed after audit. Some importing countries also require the plant to be approved by their own authorities: Saudi Arabia (SFDA) and Malaysia (JAKIM and veterinary services) do so for meat.
3. The shipped lot
For export, many importing countries require a halal certificate per shipment (Saudi Arabia has done so for meat and poultry since 2020), listing the lot: products, weights, approval numbers, container, slaughter and production dates. This is the document that customs or the food authority checks on arrival.
A plant certificate shows that the slaughterhouse is audited; it does not prove your lot was. For any import, ask for the template of the per-lot certificate the supplier will issue.
Who recognises what: the destination country decides
The same certificate can be accepted in one country and refused in another. Several importing countries keep an official list of the foreign bodies they recognise; a certificate from a body missing from that list can hold the lot at the border.
| Market | Who sets the rules | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | SFDA and its Halal Center | Body recognised by the SFDA Halal Center; halal certificate per shipment; plant approved by the SFDA |
| United Arab Emirates | Ministry of Industry (MoIAT), standard UAE.S 2055-1 | Body registered by MoIAT, for the “meat” category |
| Other Gulf countries | GSO 2055-1 (food) and GSO 2055-2 (certification bodies) | Each country sets its own requirement; GAC accreditation of the body is the usual regional reference |
| Malaysia | JAKIM | Body on the list of recognised foreign bodies (two-year recognition); plant approved by JAKIM and the veterinary services |
| Indonesia | BPJPH, Law No. 33/2014 (mandatory halal certification) | Foreign body covered by a mutual recognition agreement with BPJPH, for the product category |
| Morocco | ONSSA (import controls) | Halal slaughter certificate from the authorised Islamic body of the country of origin, with the health certificate; authorised country of origin |
| European Union, United Kingdom | No public standard: private bodies | Body accepted by the customer (retailer, food service) |
In Morocco, IMANOR’s “Halal Maroc” label (standard NM 08.0.800) certifies Moroccan products and plants; it is not what ONSSA asks for on imported meat. These lists and requirements change: JAKIM’s list, for example, is amended several times a year. Check the body’s status with the destination authority, or with your importer, for every contract, not just the first one.
Stunned or not: the choice that divides markets
In the European Union, Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 requires stunning before slaughter, with an exemption (Article 4(4)) for slaughter prescribed by religious rites carried out in a slaughterhouse. Member States can go further: in its judgment of 17 December 2020 in Case C-336/19, the EU Court of Justice accepted that a Member State (here Flanders) may require, for ritual slaughter, reversible stunning that cannot result in the animal’s death. In England, the WATOK Regulations 2015 keep an exemption for sheep, goats, cattle and birds slaughtered in a slaughterhouse.
Certification bodies do not agree among themselves: some accept reversible stunning that does not kill the animal before bleeding, others refuse it. It is therefore a point to write down explicitly in the order.
How to check a halal certificate in five points
- The issuing body: is it on the destination country’s list, for the meat category?
- The plant: does the health approval number of the slaughterhouse or cutting plant match the one on the health certificate?
- The dates: was the plant certificate valid on the slaughter and production dates?
- The lot: do products, weights, carton count and container number match the invoice and packing list?
- The method: does the stunning statement match what your customer accepts?
When in doubt, ask the certification body to confirm that the certificate is genuine.
What a buyer should specify to the supplier
Certification is agreed before the quote, like the cut or the Incoterm. In your request, state the bodies you accept (or the destination country, from which the supplier will check), your position on stunning, and the documents expected with each lot. Our halal meat specification sheet covers these points along with the other criteria of a price request.
The halal certificate travels with the other shipping documents: health certificate, certificate of origin, invoice, packing list, bill of lading. The steps of an operation are described on our import and export page.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a halal certification last?
A plant certificate is issued for a period set by the body and renewed after a new audit. A lot certificate only covers the shipment it describes.
Is the halal logo on the pack enough for export?
No. Importing authorities check the certificate that travels with the lot, not just the label. The logo must also belong to a body recognised in the country of sale.
Is halal meat certified in Europe accepted everywhere?
Not necessarily. It depends on whether the destination country recognises the body, and on the slaughter method accepted in that market.
Sources
Sources checked on 24 October 2026. Lists of recognised bodies change: check them for every contract.
- Codex Alimentarius, General Guidelines for Use of the Term “Halal” (CAC/GL 24-1997).
- European Union, Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009, Articles 4 and 26.
- Court of Justice of the European Union, judgment of 17 December 2020, Case C-336/19 (press release No 163/20).
- England, Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015, Schedule 3.
- France, Rural and Maritime Fishing Code, Articles R214-63 to R214-81 (slaughter), including Article R214-75 (Légifrance).
- Saudi Arabia, SFDA halal FAQ; list of recognised bodies on the SFDA Halal Center website.
- United Arab Emirates, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), halal page (UAE.S 2055-1, registered bodies).
- Gulf countries, GCC Accreditation Center (GAC); standards GSO 2055-1 and GSO 2055-2.
- Malaysia, Halal Malaysia portal (JAKIM), list of recognised foreign bodies.
- Indonesia, BPJPH; Law No. 33/2014 on Halal Product Assurance; Antara, February 2026.
- Morocco, meat import conditions set by ONSSA (Le360, 2024, in French); IMANOR “Halal Maroc” label, standard NM 08.0.800.
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