The Indonesian Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its list of substances that can be used in cosmetics without permission or with restrictions.

The FDA issued draft amendments to the Technical Requirements for Cosmetic Ingredients Appendices on August 24, 2023. The final amendments were issued and became effective on December 7, 2023. It is noteworthy that cosmetic notification holders who received notification numbers from the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) before the amendments came into force, must comply with the updated regulations within 24 months (i.e. by December 7, 2025).

The modifications took place in the following appendices of the cosmetics regulation:

• Appendix I: Restricted ingredients
• Appendix II: Approved colorants, with restrictions and usage guidelines (hair dyes solely for hair coloring)
• Appendix III: Approved preservatives with restrictions and usage guidelines
• Appendix IV: Approved sunscreens with restrictions and usage guidelines

One restricted ingredient was added to the Appendix I List of Restricted Ingredients and 7 ingredients were revised in the same list. Substances in Appendix II, III, IV (i.e. the approved lists of colorants, preservatives and sunscreens were also revised .

On 18 November 2023, the Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) were signed between the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs' Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) and 37 foreign Halal Certification Bodies (LHLN). The Halal-20 Halal World 2023 event strengthened global cooperation on Halal Product Assurance, with the signing of a Mutual Recognition Agreement between the Ministry of Religious Affairs and 37 Foreign Halal Institutions. 

Indonesia prioritizes halal products over non-halal ones due to its Muslim population. In 2014, the country issued the Halal Product Assurance Law, which requires all halal products imported, distributed, and traded in Indonesia, as well as services related to cosmetics, food, beverages, medicines, and genetically modified products, to be certified halal. Halal certification for cosmetics assures that goods are free of haram (forbidden) substances such as gelatine from pigs, carrion, blood, and ethyl alcohol and that they are clean, safe, pure, and of high quality. 

Specifically, MRAs were signed between BPJPH and 9 LHLNs regarding mutual recognition and acceptance of halal certificates, and other MRAs were signed between BPJPH and 28 LHLNs in agreement to accelerate the completion of LHLN assessments for recognition and acceptance of halal certificates. 

The list of LHLNs that have signed an MRA with BPJPH regarding the recognition and mutual acceptance of halal certificates is as follows: 

The list of LHLNs that have signed MRA with BPJPH to speed up the completion of LHLN assessments for halal certificate recognition and acceptance is as follows: 

In addition to the 37 LHLNs, BPJPH established commitments with 16 LHLNs to complete assessments and with 54 LHLNs that have submitted documentation to the Sihalal application and are currently in the process of verifying and completing the relevant documentation.