GCC Standardization OrganizationG S O

The Role of The Role of GSOGSO

on on HalalHalal Food Products Food Products

GCC Standardization OrganizationG S O

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

on on HalalHalal Food Products Food Products

Dr. Sufyan Al-Irhayim

GCC Standardization Organization

(GSO)

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

GCC Standardization OrganizationG S O

ContentsContents

Introduction

About the GSO

Standards Development and Management

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

Standards Development and Management

GSO Standards for Halal Food

Labeling of Prepackaged Foods

Animal Slaughtering according to Islamic Law

Halal Food: General Requirements

A Final Note

GCC Standardization OrganizationG S O

IntroductionIntroduction GSO is a regional organization

Serves mainly the GCC countries and Yemen Serves the industries by providing market avenues and

increase competitiveness in international markets

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

Serves the industries by providing market avenues and increase competitiveness in international markets

Maintaining safety, public health and consumer protection

Preserving the public interest (religious, cultural, national security, . . . etc)

Safeguard the overall economy of the GCC countries by avoiding poor quality products

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GSO

Develop Standards

Foster Intra-GCC Trade

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

Foster Intra-GCC Trade

Strengthens GCC Customs

Union

Conformance to WTO/TBT/SPS

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GSO: BackgroundGSO: Background

A regional organization established under the

umbrella of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Supplanted the Gulf Standards and Metrology

Organization (1984-2003)

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

Organization (1984-2003)

Has an administrative and financial autonomy

Began operation in May 2004

Headquarters: Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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MembershipMembershipThe governments of:

The State of the United Arab Emirates

The Kingdom of Bahrain

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

The Kingdom of Bahrain

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Sultanate of Oman

The State of Qatar

The State of Kuwait

The Republic of Yemen

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ActivitiesActivitiesSimilar to other standards organizations,

the GSO activities include:

Adopt, develop, maintain, revise, and withdraw GCC Standards and Technical Regulations

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

Standards and Technical Regulations

Formulation of GCC Conformity Assessment Procedures, legal and industrial Metrology, Quality and other related standardization activities.

Participate in the adoption, development, maintenance, revision, and withdrawal of International Standards

Adopt, develop, maintain, revise, and withdraw policies and procedures.

GCC Standardization OrganizationG S O

GSO: ActivitiesGSO: Activities

Prepare, publish and update the Gulf standards and

technical regulations

Development of systems and procedures to verify the

unified regional compliance, legal and industrial

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

unified regional compliance, legal and industrial

metrology, quality systems and accreditation systems

Raising awareness and self-capacity building

Facilitate the intra- and inter-GCC trade and the removal

of technical barriers to trade

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GSO: ActivitiesGSO: Activities

Working towards customs union among the GCC

countries

Achieve compatibility and harmony between Gulf

standards with the best international practices of

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

standards with the best international practices of

standardization

Support for the GCC industry

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GSO: Organizational StructureGSO: Organizational Structure

Board of Directors

Technical Council

General Secretariat

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

General Secretariat

Steering Committees

Technical CommitteesTechnical Committees

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Standards Development & ManagementStandards Development & Management

GSO Standards and Technical Regulations :

are based on the requirements of health, safety, performance, environment and consumer protection

meet the requirements of industry, import, export, public

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

meet the requirements of industry, import, export, public procurement and international trade

meet the requirements of TBT&SPS agreements (during the processes of drafting, implementing and adoption)

can be adopted of International Standards in their original language

are prepared by Technical Committees

GCC Standardization OrganizationG S O

Standards Development (Standards Development (Cont.Cont.))

Standards development is guided by the following :

No National standard is developed if there is an identical draft GSO standard in existence

GSO Standards to be developed should not create trade

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

GSO Standards to be developed should not create trade barriers

In most cases, the Gulf standards are prepared through a direct adoption of International, Regional, or National standards

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Food & Agriculture Sector StandardsFood & Agriculture Sector Standards

There are 885 GSO

Standards and technical

regulations (about 17% of

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

regulations (about 17% of

the total number of

Standards are technical

regulations)

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HalalHalal Scope Scope Halal is an Arabic word meaning lawful or permitted.

The opposite of Halal is Haram, which means unlawful or prohibited.

Halal and Haram are universal terms that apply to all facets

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

Halal and Haram are universal terms that apply to all facets of life.

However; for standards purposes, scope is

limited to food products, meat products,

cosmetics, personal care products, food

ingredients, and food contact materials

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Food and FoodstuffFood and Foodstuff Food is any matter that is eatable or as a source of

nutrition (including drinking liquids)

Foodstuff is any manufactured, semi-manufactured or not-manufactured substance prepared for direct human consumption or used in manufacturing or

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

or not-manufactured substance prepared for direct human consumption or used in manufacturing or preparation or treatment of any other foodstuff.

Food is divided into 3 categories: food from any animal origin,

food from non-animal origin, and

beverages

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Halal FoodHalal Food

Animals that only live in water: These are all considered

basically permissible

Animals living on land: It is considered basically permitted

eatable unless forbidden by a juristic bar

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

eatable unless forbidden by a juristic bar

Islam has indicated rules for the slaughtering and capturing of

animals

Plants are the objects of a consensus among Muslim

scholars on their permissive character unless showing

impurity or harm (opiate or poison).

GCC Standardization OrganizationG S O

Gulf Standards for Gulf Standards for HalalHalal

GSO formed a Working group for Halal Foods standards and technical regulations within its technical committee for food and agricultural products standards

Its first Technical Regulation stipulated that labeling of

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

Its first Technical Regulation stipulated that labeling of prepackaged foods shall comply with the Islamic law

GSO Board of Directors had decided to add an item stating that the product shall be free from pork products and derivatives in all the standards and technical regulations of agricultural and food products, where there is possibility of existence or addition of pork products and derivatives to these products

GCC Standardization OrganizationG S O

Standards for Standards for HalalHalal

Conditions set in the GSO food standards:

Products should be free from any material prohibited by Islamic law

Products should be free from any material

First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry, Kuwait 24-26 Jan 2011

Products should be free from any mate