National Accreditation System ENAS

National Accreditation System ENAS

National Accreditation Department was established in 2004, based on federal law no. (28) for the year 2001 and the cabinet decision no. (22) for the year 2004 to manage ENAS, and the updated Cabinet decision no (35) for the year 2015 that has assigned the National Accreditation Department to be in charge of the UAE’s System for Controlling and Monitoring of Conformity Assessment Bodies.

Emirates National Accreditation System (ENAS) has a responsibility to operate for the benefit of all sectors in relation with UAE Quality Infrastructure. ENAS aims to achieve, maintain and broaden international recognition, which support ENAS contribution in National Strategic goals through its Accreditation services and related activities to conformity assessment bodies, which strengthen improving business and national industry competitiveness and overcome technical barriers to trade, by:  

• Striving continuously to improve the level of its services and expand the scope of its service to satisfy the needs of its stakeholders and UAE regulators, through innovative solutions .
• Ensuring competence of Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) operating in UAE.
• Operating in the public interest making accreditation a key pillar to guarantee safety, reliability, accuracy and fair practices in staple areas to the society as a whole such as health, environment, safety and defense.
• Joining the relevant regional and international Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRA) and Multilateral Arrangements (MLA).
• Keeping abreast of international developments in accreditation & conformity assessment.
• Pave the road for Leading UAE Nation by making National Accreditation the key pillar that guarantee safety, reliability, confidence   and fair practices in essential areas such as health, environment, safety, infrastructures for industry and trade.

ENAS holds the following regional and International memberships:

• Full  member in the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)
• Full member in the International Halal Forum (IHAF)
• Full member in the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC)
• Full member in the Arab Accreditation Cooperation (ARAC)
• Member in the Management Accreditation Council - The Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC)

National Accreditation Department has been given the mandate to provide the following services:

• Registration of Conformity Assessment Bodies Operating in UAE
• Registration of Halal Certification Bodies
• Accreditation of Conformity Assessment Bodies through ENAS
• Notification of Conformity Assessment Bodies in the mandatory scope and Technical Regulations.

The National Accreditation Department provides its Accreditation services for the following schemes

• Testing laboratories according to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025 “General requirements for the competence of test and calibration laboratories”.
• Calibration laboratories according to the international standard ISO/IEC 17025 “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”.
• Medical laboratories according to the international standard ISO 15189 " Medical laboratories — Requirements for quality and competence".
• Inspection bodies according to the international standard ISO/IEC 17020 " Conformity assessment — Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection".
• Product certification bodies according to the international standard ISO/IEC 17065 " Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services".
• Halal certification bodies according to the national standard UAE.S 2055-2 "Halal products - Part 2: General requirements for halal certification bodies".

International Recognition

ILAC facilitates trade by operating a worldwide Mutual Recognition Arrangement (the ILAC MRA) among Accreditation Bodies, therefore the test results/ certificates issued by laboratories, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers and, accredited by ILAC Accreditation Bodies members, are accepted globally.

The primary purpose of ILAC is to establish multilateral arrangements between member accreditation bodies, based on mutual evaluation and acceptance of each other's accreditation systems.

ENAS has joined the APAC MRA which is recognized by ILAC Arrangement to promote the acceptance of accredited testing and calibration results on the international level. The ILAC Arrangement, provides significant technical pillar to international trade.

The scope of the ILAC MRA covers:

• Testing laboratories: ISO/IEC 17025

• Calibration laboratories: ISO/IEC 17025

ENAS accredited testing and calibration laboratories may reference the ILAC MRA on certificates and reports issued from their side with considerations to the conditions included in the signed “Agreement for the Use of the ENAS Accredited CAB Combined ILAC MRA Mark".

For more information about the ILAC MRA and its signatories, click here

For more information about the APAC MRA and its signatories, click here

Financial statement

Emirates National Accreditation System (ENAS) managed by the National Accreditation Department – MoIAT is the UAE national body for the Accreditation of Conformity Assessment Bodies. ENAS operates under the cabinet decree no (22) for the year 2004 and its related executive regulations of the national accreditation system.

ENAS is a non-profit Accreditation body for UAE Government; The annual budget is allocated according to Ministry of Finance (MoF) in accordance with the law, and based on the UAE Cabinet's Resolution No 1/181 of 2008.

ENAS charges fees to conformity assessment bodies on account of the services provided. Definition and management of the fees related to accreditation activities services is carried out as set in the UAE Cabinet decision no (13) for the year 2021.

Liability Statement

ENAS is a non-profit Accreditation body for UAE Government; in which its annual budget is allocated by Ministry of Finance (MoF) in accordance with the law, and based on the UAE Cabinet's related resolution. 

The structure of ENAS as accreditation body is organized to assure independency on every single step of the accreditation process, safeguard impartiality and confidentiality as per the requirements of ISO/IEC 17011:2017- Conformity assessment - Requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies.

No member of ENAS shall be personally liable for any act done or fault made by them acting in good faith in the course of fulfilling their responsibilities. ENAS takes the responsibility for the work done by its assessors. Any financial liability incurred shall be covered by the UAE Government.

ENAS Impartiality and confidentiality statements

ENAS is a federal accreditation body governed by the government laws and by laws designed and developed in such a way as to ensure that impartiality is not compromised by commercial, financial or other pressures.

The structure of ENAS as accreditation body is organized to assure independency on every single step of the accreditation process, safeguard impartiality and confidentiality as per the requirements of ISO/IEC 17011:2017- Conformity assessment - Requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies.

ENAS assures that its personnel resources are committed to ENAS Policy on Conflict of Interest, Confidentiality, No Discrimination, Intellectual Property and Duty of Loyalty.

ENAS Management System is designed to identify, analyze, evaluate, treat, monitor and document the risks to impartiality that may arise on every stage, in which processes are designed to provide prompt identification of impartiality-related risks, so that they can be eliminated or minimized before moving on. 

To access ENAS Policy on Impartiality, Conflict of Interest, Confidentiality, No Discrimination, Intellectual Property, Duty of Loyalty, Hold Harmless. click here (ENAS Policy)

For more information and Open data related to ENAS - click here