Restrictions on cross promotion or products and mandatory halal certification were just some of the topics discussed in AmCham Indonesia’s courtesy visit to the National Standardization Agency (BSN).

Held in BSN’s offices on July 16, the meeting was led by BSN head Bambang Prasetya. He welcomed the AmCham team and introduced the agency he leads.

“BSN is a non-ministry agency with the main responsibility to develop standards implementation in Indonesia,” Bambang said. “Our primary principle in establishing standards is the balance between protecting consumers and maintaining a sound business environment.”

Cross-promotion restrictions on infant nutrition products and follow-up milk was the main issue discussed in the meeting. Cross-promotion restrictions are an ongoing topic discussed in the international forum Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) – a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations relating to food, food production and food safety. It is thebody responsible for all matters regarding the implementation of the Joint UN Food and Health Organization/World Health Organization Food Standards Program.

As Indonesia’s appointed National Codex Committee, BSN gave updates on what was discussed at the last CAC meeting in Geneva. Working closely with National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM), BSN received AmCham’s position paper on cross-promotion restrictions and utilized it as a basis in preparing Indonesia’s position at the next Codex forum.

The discussion went in another direction when AmCham brought up halal certification. Under the new Halal Law, BSN will be in charge of setting national standards for halal. 

“BSN and the National Accreditation Committee [KAN] have signed a MoU with the Halal Product Assurance Agency [BPJPH],” Bambang said. “We will support BPJPH in establishing standards and accreditation.”