EN 16311:2013
(Main)Engineering services - Terminology to describe engineering services for industrial products
General Information
- Abstract
This European Standard contains a glossary of terms, which can contribute to the conditions for free competition and a level playing field for engineering services providers in Europe in regard to industrial products.
This European Standard deals with the intellectual services necessary to transform needs into practical solutions from their conception, through realisation to operation and during the life cycle of a working product such as buildings, industrial products etc.
The terminology aims at facilitating the cooperation between partners in the field of Engineering Services (ES).
Its structure is based on stages in the life cycle of an industrial product. It is not a description of the contents of the tasks to be executed, neither on their scheduling, nor on the actors concerned who depend on the national context, the clients, type and importance of the product and its environment.
The major terms are defined covering the lifecycle of industrial products. These terms are applicable to all sectors, for example: aerospace, automotive, capital equipment.
- Status
- Published
- Publication Date
- 12-Feb-2013
- Withdrawal Date
- 30-Aug-2013
- Technical Committee
- CEN/TC 395 - Engineering consultancy services
- Current Stage
- 9060 - Closure of 2 Year Review Enquiry - Review Enquiry
- Start Date
- 03-Mar-2024
- Completion Date
- 03-Mar-2024
Overview
EN 16311:2013 (CEN) is a European standard that provides a glossary of terminology for engineering services related to industrial products. Its purpose is to create a common vocabulary that supports free competition and a level playing field for engineering services providers across Europe. The standard covers intellectual services needed to transform needs into practical solutions through the entire life cycle of a product - from conception and design, through realization and operation, to end-of-life management.
Key topics
- Scope and intent: Defines terms to facilitate cooperation between partners in cross‑border and multi‑disciplinary engineering projects; not a prescriptive work plan or task schedule.
- Core definitions: Includes standardized meanings for terms such as engineering, engineering services, contract, life cycle, stage, project management, configuration management, quality assurance, and product.
- Life-cycle staging (Annex A): Describes stages and sub-stages used as a reference framework:
- Initiation (requirements definition, feasibility, project definition)
- Product and process design (conceptual, preliminary, basic, detailed design; verification/validation; documentary synthesis)
- Implementation (tooling, facilities, manufacturing process, testing, start of production)
- Operation (product support, upgrades, maintenance and repairs)
- End of life (decommissioning, dismantling, disposal, recycling, refurbish/overhaul, reuse)
- Non‑harmonization note: The standard explicitly avoids harmonizing national plans of work; instead it offers terminology and a staging reference to help parties map project-specific scopes.
Applications
- Use EN 16311:2013 to align terminology in:
- Cross-border engineering contracts and procurement documents
- Tendering and scope-of-work definitions for industrial projects
- Project management, configuration and quality assurance processes
- Communication between clients, consultants, manufacturers and regulators
- Sectors: applicable across industries such as aerospace, automotive, capital equipment and other industrial manufacturing domains where consistent engineering language improves collaboration and reduces misunderstandings.
Who should use this standard
- Engineering consultancies and multidisciplinary design teams
- Client organisations and procurement officers preparing contracts
- Legal and commercial teams involved in engineering service agreements
- Project managers, configuration managers and quality assurance professionals
- National standards bodies and cross‑border project consortia
Related standards
- EN 16310 - related terminology for buildings, infrastructure and industrial facilities
- EN ISO 9000, EN ISO 14040, EN ISO 14021, ISO 10007, ISO/FDIS 21500 - referenced standards for quality, life-cycle assessment, configuration management and project management
Using EN 16311:2013 helps standardize engineering language, improve contractual clarity, and reduce risk in international industrial engineering projects.
Get Certified
Connect with accredited certification bodies for this standard
Great Wall Tianjin Quality Assurance Center
Established 1993, first batch to receive national accreditation with IAF recognition.
Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA)
Hong Kong's leading certification body.
Innovative Quality Certifications Pvt. Ltd. (IQCPL)
Known for integrity, providing ethical & impartial Assessment & Certification. CMMI Institute Partner.
Sponsored listings
Frequently Asked Questions
EN 16311:2013 is a standard published by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Its full title is "Engineering services - Terminology to describe engineering services for industrial products". This standard covers: This European Standard contains a glossary of terms, which can contribute to the conditions for free competition and a level playing field for engineering services providers in Europe in regard to industrial products. This European Standard deals with the intellectual services necessary to transform needs into practical solutions from their conception, through realisation to operation and during the life cycle of a working product such as buildings, industrial products etc. The terminology aims at facilitating the cooperation between partners in the field of Engineering Services (ES). Its structure is based on stages in the life cycle of an industrial product. It is not a description of the contents of the tasks to be executed, neither on their scheduling, nor on the actors concerned who depend on the national context, the clients, type and importance of the product and its environment. The major terms are defined covering the lifecycle of industrial products. These terms are applicable to all sectors, for example: aerospace, automotive, capital equipment.
This European Standard contains a glossary of terms, which can contribute to the conditions for free competition and a level playing field for engineering services providers in Europe in regard to industrial products. This European Standard deals with the intellectual services necessary to transform needs into practical solutions from their conception, through realisation to operation and during the life cycle of a working product such as buildings, industrial products etc. The terminology aims at facilitating the cooperation between partners in the field of Engineering Services (ES). Its structure is based on stages in the life cycle of an industrial product. It is not a description of the contents of the tasks to be executed, neither on their scheduling, nor on the actors concerned who depend on the national context, the clients, type and importance of the product and its environment. The major terms are defined covering the lifecycle of industrial products. These terms are applicable to all sectors, for example: aerospace, automotive, capital equipment.
EN 16311:2013 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 01.040.03 - Services. Company organization, management and quality. Administration. Transport. Sociology. (Vocabularies); 03.080.20 - Services for companies. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.
EN 16311:2013 is available in PDF format for immediate download after purchase. The document can be added to your cart and obtained through the secure checkout process. Digital delivery ensures instant access to the complete standard document.
Standards Content (Sample)
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Inženirske storitve - Izrazi za opisovanje inženirskih storitev za industrijske izdelkeIngenieurdienstleistungen - Terminologie zur Beschreibung von Ingenieurdienstleistungen für industrielle ProdukteServices d'ingénierie - Terminologie destinée à décrire les services d'ingénierie pour les produits industrielsEngineering services - Terminology to describe engineering services for industrial products03.080.20Storitve za podjetjaServices for companies01.040.03Storitve. Organizacija podjetja, vodenje in kakovost. Uprava. Transport. Sociologija. (Slovarji)Services. Company organization, management and quality. Administration. Transport. Sociology. (Vocabularies)ICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 16311:2013SIST EN 16311:2013en,fr,de01-april-2013SIST EN 16311:2013SLOVENSKI
STANDARD
EUROPEAN STANDARD NORME EUROPÉENNE EUROPÄISCHE NORM
EN 16311
February 2013 ICS 01.040.03; 03.080.20 English Version
Engineering services - Terminology to describe engineering services for industrial products
Services d'ingénierie - Terminologie destinée à décrire les services d'ingénierie pour les produits industriels
Ingenieurdienstleistungen - Terminologie zur Beschreibung von Ingenieurdienstleistungen für industrielle Produkte This European Standard was approved by CEN on 7 December 2012.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre:
Avenue Marnix 17,
B-1000 Brussels © 2013 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national Members. Ref. No. EN 16311:2013: ESIST EN 16311:2013
Stages in the life cycle of an industrial product . 7 Bibliography. 12
The terminology aims at facilitating the cooperation between partners in the field of Engineering Services (ES). Its structure is based on stages in the life cycle of an industrial product. It is not a description of the contents of the tasks to be executed, neither on their scheduling, nor on the actors concerned who depend on the national context, the clients, type and importance of the product and its environment. The major terms are defined covering the lifecycle of industrial products. These terms are applicable to all sectors, for example: aerospace, automotive, capital equipment. 2 Terms and definitions For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply. 2.1 engineering intellectual activities necessary to define, design, produce, sustain and recycle a product, a process or a building 2.2 engineering services intellectual tasks provided during one or all stages of the life cycle of the product, a process or a built asset by specialised (or trained) professionals 2.3 contract legally binding agreement specifying the services and condi
...