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Certification Standards
How halal certification works in Canada, the major Canadian certification bodies, the CFIA labelling rule, and how to choose the right certifier for the domestic market and for export.
Certification Standards
A practical guide to the costs involved in halal certification for different business sizes and markets. Covers application fees, audit costs, consultant fees, and hidden expenses.
Certification Standards
How halal certification works in the United States, the major American certifiers, and how to choose the right one for your domestic and export markets.
Editorial note: Market figures cited in this article are estimates based on publicly available industry reports and may vary by source. HalalExpo.com aims to present the most current data available but readers should verify figures for business decisions. Sources include the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report, DinarStandard, and national halal authority publications.
France is home to the largest Muslim population in Western Europe and one of the continent's biggest halal markets, yet it has no single state-run halal label. Instead, halal certification in France is provided by a mix of religious authorities and independent certification bodies, operating within French and EU food law. The role of the country's historic grand mosques in authorising ritual slaughter gives the French system a character of its own, distinct from the wider European certification landscape.
For a manufacturer, restaurant or slaughterhouse, certification means engaging one of these bodies to audit ingredients, the supply chain and, for meat, the slaughter process against a halal standard, then issue a certificate and a halal mark consumers recognise. You can browse bodies in our certifier directory, and our guide to what certification involves covers the general process.
Several bodies certify halal products in France. The most prominent are below. Recognition and scope change over time, so confirm current status with the certifier for your specific markets and product category.
Founded in 2001, AVS is one of the most widely recognised French halal certifiers and is well known to French Muslim consumers. It focuses on food and slaughterhouse certification, with recognition across French-speaking Muslim markets in North Africa.
Established in 1922, the Grande Mosquee de Paris is the oldest halal certifier in Europe and one of the official French bodies historically recognised by the French authorities for ritual slaughter. Its certificates are widely accepted in the Maghreb and parts of the Gulf.
EVS, established in 2008, provides halal auditing and certification to food manufacturers, restaurants and ingredient suppliers in France and the wider French-speaking world. It holds recognition from JAKIM (Malaysia) and works to the OIC/SMIIC standard, which matters for export.
Bureau Veritas is a global testing, inspection and certification company founded in 1828 and headquartered in Paris, operating in over 140 countries. Its halal certification arm offers audit and testing across food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, with recognition by authorities including JAKIM, MUIS and the GCC framework, making it a common choice for larger exporters.
What most distinguishes the French system is ritual slaughter governance. France has historically channelled the authorisation of halal sacrificers through three grand mosques, those of Paris, Lyon and Evry, particularly for the Eid al-Adha period. Ritual slaughter must take place in licensed abattoirs.
French and EU law generally require animals to be stunned before slaughter, with a religious exemption that permits slaughter without prior stunning in approved facilities. Practice differs between certifiers: some accept certain forms of reversible stunning while others require none. If meat is your product, confirm the exact slaughter standard a certifier applies before committing, because it affects both consumer acceptance and which export markets will recognise the certificate.
France is both a large domestic halal market and an exporter, particularly to North African and Gulf markets. The certifier you choose determines which doors open abroad:
Our halal export guide explains how these recognitions map to market access. Meeting certifiers and buyers at a halal trade show is one of the fastest ways to confirm requirements, and you can list certified products in our supplier directory.
There is no single state-run halal label in France. Certification is issued by religious authorities and private bodies operating within French and EU food law. The French authorities do, however, play a role in ritual slaughter by historically authorising sacrificers through the grand mosques and requiring slaughter in licensed abattoirs.
The most prominent include AVS, the Grande Mosquee de Paris, EVS and the global certifier Bureau Veritas. The grand mosques of Paris, Lyon and Evry have historically held an official role in authorising ritual slaughter.
AVS (Association de Valorisation des Produits Halal) is a French halal certification body founded in 2001, focused on food and slaughterhouse certification. It is one of the most widely recognised halal marks among French Muslim consumers.
French and EU law generally require pre-slaughter stunning, with a religious exemption permitting slaughter without prior stunning in approved abattoirs. Certifiers differ: some accept certain reversible stunning methods while others require none. Check the specific certifier's standard.
Yes, provided the certificate comes from a body recognised in the destination market. For Malaysia that means JAKIM recognition (held by certifiers such as EVS and Bureau Veritas); for the Gulf, the GCC scheme and national authorities apply.