ESMA (Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology) is the UAE national standards body — now under MoIAT — administering the UAE Halal Mark and conformity assessment for spice and herb impo...
ESMA — the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology — was the United Arab Emirates' national standards, conformity-assessment and metrology body, established under federal law in 2001. ESMA administered UAE technical regulations, the UAE Quality Mark, and the UAE National Halal Mark through its Halal scheme. In 2020-21 ESMA was institutionally consolidated into the new Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), but in trade documentation and buyer references, "ESMA" remains the colloquial name for the UAE conformity-assessment regime, and the UAE National Halal Mark is still commonly referred to as the "ESMA Halal Mark".
For food imports, ESMA/MoIAT enforces the UAE.S GSO series of Gulf-wide technical regulations alongside Dubai Municipality and Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) controls.
The UAE is the leading GCC re-export hub: Jebel Ali handles a large share of cargo destined for Saudi Arabia, Iraq, East Africa and CIS markets. For a Pakistani spice/herb/seed exporter, UAE-bound shipments via Karachi → Jebel Ali (~3 days transit) need ESMA-compliant documentation to clear customs, and shipments using the UAE as a transit/re-export base benefit from UAE Halal Mark recognition across the wider region.
ESMA also accredits foreign Halal certification bodies for purposes of the UAE National Halal Mark — Pakistani exporters whose certifier holds ESMA recognition find their Halal certificates accepted at Jebel Ali and Khalifa Port without requalification.
Documentation flow for UAE imports:
Reference: Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), moiat.gov.ae (formerly Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology, esma.gov.ae). Halal scheme: UAE.S 2055-1:2015. Gulf-wide technical regulations: GSO standards series.