Move around, there's nothing to see. This is, in short, the defense of the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris Chems-eddine Hafiz this Friday morning on BFMTV, four days after the daily Opinion accused him of having set up a very profitable monopolistic Halal certification system . “I am not a commercial enterprise, I play a religious role,” he declared, claiming to be “paid for a service” and denying having set up a “tax” system.
According to Opinion, the Grand Mosque of Paris signed an agreement with Algeria making halal certification – by the Grand Mosque of Paris – mandatory for many foodstuffs exported from the European Union (EU) to Algeria . “Without this label, no European industrialist can hope to pass Algerian customs,” writes L’Opinion on this subject. Still according to this daily, this ranges from two cents per kg of milk powder to ten cents per kg of cakes, biscuits, chocolates, sweets, etc.
These certificates would be issued by a commercial company, housed in the premises of the Grand Mosque of Paris, but governed by the Commercial Code. Chems-eddine Hafiz is at the head. “It is the association which is the owner, but a natural person is required to represent it. I don't receive any money, everything goes to the management of Muslim worship,” he explained to Opinion.
Several million euros in turnover
During the greeting ceremony at the Grand Mosque of Paris this Thursday evening, Chems-eddine Hafiz assured that for five years, “freely and in full light”, the activities of the institution were carried out, particularly for the Halal certification “which we carry out , with seriousness and experience, since 1939.” “All dividends are used to finance the exercise of Muslim worship,” added Chems-eddine Hafiz.
-According to the figures given on BFMTV this Friday and by Opinion, this system brought in some “two million euros in turnover” in 2023. “And we were supposed to reach five million euros,” said added Chems-eddine Hafiz, confirming that this certification did not concern “just meat”. “The Grand Mosque of Paris started this certification when it was created, we can certify halal products,” Chems-eddine Hafiz also said.
However, according to a milk manufacturer interviewed by Opinion, this hala certification “has to be paid for”. “There are no real controls – which, incidentally, can put us in difficulty with our religious clients in the event of a dispute. In the sector, we quickly realized that all these new formalities were to “annoy” French companies, which is really a bonus for Algiers,” he said, denouncing a “strictly financial” system. “.
These revelations come in the midst of tensions between Paris and Algiers, linked to the continued detention of the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal and the arrests in France of seven Algerian influencers. “Today, as if by chance, because of the particular context with Algeria, everything poses a problem. I am extremely calm,” observed Chems-eddine Hafiz on this subject this Friday.
Related News :