Egypt: Updates for the new ISEG Halal implementation

On October 20th, a meeting was held between representatives from 16 EU embassies, including the Dutch, American, and Canadian embassies, and officials from Egypt's National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) and ISEG Halal, led by Wael Hana. The discussion aimed to address concerns from European and Dutch companies over the recent Halal regulations imposed by Egypt.

The NFSA's decision to recognize ISEG Halal as the sole entity for issuing Halal certifications for all food products and factories in Egypt has raised issues, particularly with the increased costs of certification and the potential impact on market prices. The lack of clarity around these new regulations and the significant shift from previous practices has led to confusion and challenges for companies importing food into Egypt.

Despite the NFSA's assertion that no shipments have been stopped at the border without an ISEG Halal certificate, some companies have reported issues with import permits due to the new requirement. ISEG Halal provided some details on their certification processes and costs, but there is still a need for greater transparency regarding their procedures and Egypt's Halal standards in practice. The agricultural team of the embassy will monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.