New rules for halal certification

The new Export Control (Meat and Meat Products) Orders 2005 and the Export Control (Dairy Eggs and Fish) Orders 2005 have come into effect, removing prescriptive regulatory burdens on exporters and processors.

The new Orders, which will give Australia's meat and dairy export industries a number of competitive advantages, are also consistent with the direction in which international trade standards are heading.

The new meat and meat products orders will also affect halal certifiers and will:

• require AQIS-approved arrangements for Islamic organisations that wish to provide halal certification;
• provide criteria to be met at the time of initial accreditation;
• ensure AQIS and halal certifiers comply with their respective responsibilities to importing countries and the Australian meat industry; and
• deal with breaches by providing for suspension, removal of accreditation or prosecution.