Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina in cooperation with the Agency for Halal Quality Certification in Bosnia and Herzegovina hosted the third meeting of the European Project Committee CEN/TC 425 - Halal food, which was held from 22 to 23 October 2014, in hotel Europe.

The task of Project Committee is to prepare a European standard for Halal food. Turkish Institute for Standards (TSE) holds the secretariat of the Project Committee. Committee Chairman is Prof. Dr. Saim Kayadibi and Secretary Mr. Mithat KALEOĞLU.

The meeting was attended by representatives of national standardization bodies and stakeholders from Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Croatia, France, Macedonia, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Bosnia and Herzegovina was represented by Mr. Amir Sakić and Mr. Damir Alihodžić from the Agency for Halal Quality Certification and Mrs. Biljana Balaj from the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During the opening of the Meeting the participants were addressed by Mr. Aleksandar Cincar, director of the Institute. Mr. Cincar emphasized the importance of cooperation between the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Agency for Halal Quality Certification regarding the development of BH Halal standards and wished the participants a very successful meeting.

The procedure for the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina standards for halal products was initiated in 2005. Representatives of the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH Islamic Community and experts from different scientific areas related to the halal - veterinary medicine, agriculture and food technology participated in this activity. The first edition of the BH halal standards was successfully published in 2007 as BAS 1049: 2007, Halal food, Requirements and measures. Basis for the preparation of this standard was a Codex document CAC/GL 24-1997 General guidelines for use of the term halal.

After being adopted, this standard is now used as a basic document for the determination of halal status of the product and its been implemented in BiH and in all the neighboring countries that have emerged from the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Institutes for standardization of neighboring countries adopted BH standard, according to the appropriate procedure, and approved its use in halal certification.

By organizing this meeting, the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina continues its active participation in the work of European and international standardization bodies, with the aim of promoting standards and standardization in Bosnia and Herzegovina.