- Ana Sayfa
- International Relations
- Halal Regulations by Country
- Europe
- Bosnia Herzegovina
Bosnia Herzegovina
Population
3.263.000 (April 2021, IMF)
Capital City
Sarajevo
Currency
Convertible Mark
Volume of Trade
Percentage of Muslim
50.7 % (est)
GDP per Capita (Nominal)
$14,912 (2019 est.)
GENERAL INFORMATION
Muslims consists up 51% of the total population of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although the people who have Islamic sensitivities in the country are the Bosnians, halal, thus clean and healthy, products are preferred not only by them Bosnians but also by society. Therefore, Bosnia and Herzegovina have a substantial potential for the development of practices about halal certified product and services. Bosnia and Herzegovina, of which the majority is consisted of Muslims, is seen as the regional leader in the production of halal certified products.
Since some regions of the country are not opened to industrialization, it became possible for Bosnia and Herzegovina to preserve these areas' natural state and to provide suitable areas for organic production and animal husbandry for the halal certified products sector.
According to the Agency for Halal Quality Certification (AHQC), Croatia, Serbia, Turkey, and Poland are among the countries that have a significant share in importing halal products to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Halal Certification Activities
Although halal certification is not mandatory in the country, the products which claim to be halal must have a certificate issued by the authorized institution and showing their halal status.
Halal certified products to be exported to Bosnia and Herzegovina should comply with Bosnia and Herzegovina's Halal Standard (BAS 1049:2010).
The AHQC is an institution established and managed by the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, responsible for halal certification of products and services and education, counselling and promotion of halal. It is also the only institution that carries out halal certification in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[1]
The Agency states that BAS 1049:2010, as the national halal standard of Bosnia and Herzegovina, complies with “OIC/SMIIC 1: General Requirements for Halal Food”.
The Agency states that it provides halal certification and other services according to the requirements of the following halal standards.
a) BAS Halal Standard 1049:2010 - Halal Food – Requirements and Measures
b) OIC/SMIIC 2: 2019 - Conformity Assessment – Requirements for Bodies Providing Halal Certification
c) UAE.S GSO 2055- 1: 2015 - UAE.S GSO 2055- 1: 2015 - Halal Food - Part 1 : General Requirements
d) UAE.S 993:2015 - UAE.S 993:2015 - Animal Slaughtering Requirements According to Islamic Rules
e) MS 1500:2019 - Halal Food – Production, Preparation, Handling and Storage –General Guidelines (Third revision) –Department of Malaysia
Bosnia and Herzegovina is an observer member in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC) and is represented in the SMIIC by the BAS.
The national accreditation institution in the country is the Institute for Accreditation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BATA), and it does not have halal accreditation activities.
The AHQC carries out its activities in coordination with the Halal Industry Association (Udruženje Halal Industrije) within the Chamber of Economy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[2] Halal Industry Association operates with the mission of "halal is health and quality". In this respect, the Association aims to increase the country's share in international halal certified products trade by expressing that local halal products address all dietary habits, all age groups, and non-Muslims.
Halal Events/ Fairs
SAHAF (Sarajevo Halal Fair and Forum)[3]: SAHAF, the first of which was held in 2015, was organized for three consecutive years. This event aimed to raise awareness about the halal certified products sector.
Sarajevo Halal Fair[4]: The first one was held in 2018. It is organized in the coordination of Bosna Bank International, which is the first and only bank in Bosnia to operate according to the principles of Islamic Finance. The fair aims to bring together halal sector stakeholders and thus strengthen halal certified products trade.