The concept of accreditation has emerged as a modern one in the infrastructure of quality which includes, in addition to accreditation, standardization, metrology, quality, testing and conformity certificates. Accreditation comes at the top of the pyramid to ensure the competency of the certification bodies, lab and other bodies offering services such as inspection bodies. Accreditation in accordance with the Emirates National Accreditation System (ENAS) is defined as: “A formal recognition by Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology, as the legally authorized body, that a conformity assessment body is competent to carry out specific assessment tasks”.

Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority was established in 2001 in accordance with the Federal Law No.: (28) of the year 2001. It started planning to establish a national accreditation system that is reliable and has the resources and qualifications required to run it in accordance with the latest standards, in the beginning of 2004, the authority started activating and operating the National Accreditation System (ENAS) in accordance with the Executive regulation of ENAS (as per the decision of Council of Ministers NO.: 351/5/2004, dated 24/5/2004). The Emirates National Accreditation system functions in accordance with the following mechanisms which guarantee:

The administration and running of (ENAS) is carried out by the accreditation department in the Authority. The accreditation Department enjoys the needed independency and flexibility to run the Emirates National Accreditation System in accordance the International standards and requirements of accreditation systems. The staff of this department is highly qualified, competent and has distinctive experience in accreditation and conformity assessment.