EN 16775:2015

Overview

EN 16775:2015, issued by CEN, defines the general requirements for expertise services provided by individual experts or groups of experts to customers. This European standard aims to establish a uniform framework to enhance the accuracy, reliability, and quality of expertise activities across member states. It focuses on standardizing the process of delivering expert opinions or evaluations while ensuring professionalism, impartiality, and transparency.

This standard excludes expertise services already governed by specific legal or contractual regulations, such as consulting, inspections, or judicial proceedings. Instead, it addresses expertise services in various fields where objective professional judgment is required for decision-making.

Key Topics

• Scope and Definitions
  EN 16775 frames expertise services as projects where expert individuals provide specialized knowledge to respond to client queries. It defines essential terms such as competence, conflict of interest, deliverables, and records to ensure clarity.

• Code of Ethics
  A fundamental aspect of this standard is the emphasis on ethical conduct. Expertise Service Providers (ESPs) must uphold independence, impartiality, objectivity, and integrity. Full disclosure of conflicts of interest and confidentiality are mandatory.

• Qualifications and Competence
  ESPs must possess suitable qualifications, combining education, skills, and experience relevant to their expertise area. The standard advocates continuous professional development and maintaining up-to-date knowledge.

• Expertise Process
  The standard outlines a structured process from initial assessment of the client's request through risk identification, agreement formulation, to service delivery and documentation. Key steps include:

  • Initial Assessment: Verifying task clarity, scope, required resources, client expectations, and compliance with ethical principles.
  • Risk Identification: Recognizing conflicts of interest, legal liabilities, and operational risks before accepting the assignment.
  • Agreement: Formalizing terms addressing deliverables, timing, confidentiality, costs, and professional standards.
  • Conducting Expertise: Applying appropriate methods while monitoring progress and adapting if needed.
  • Deliverables: Producing clear reports that include purpose, methods, conclusions, limitations, and traceability information.
  • Documentation: Maintaining proper records to support accountability, confidentiality, and data integrity.

Applications

EN 16775:2015 is applicable across various sectors where expert evaluations, opinions, or judgments are crucial. Typical use cases include:

• Technical or scientific expertise in industry and manufacturing
• Damage assessment and valuation in insurance and property
• Environmental and energy consultancy where non-contractual expert opinions are needed
• Conflict resolution requiring impartial technical analysis
• Support for complex decision-making processes in business or regulatory environments

By implementing this standard, organizations and expert individuals can enhance client trust, ensure transparency, mitigate risks related to conflicts, and facilitate cross-border expertise service exchanges within Europe.

Related Standards

EN 16775 refers to and complements several other international standards focused on qualifications and validation processes, including:

• EN ISO/IEC 17024:2012 – Conformity assessment for personnel certification, outlining competencies needed for professional certification bodies.
• EN ISO 14065:2013 – Requirements for validation and verification bodies related to environmental and greenhouse gas emissions expertise.

Together, these standards collectively support a reliable framework for professional expertise, training, and ethical practice in diverse technical and professional domains.

Keywords: EN 16775, expertise services, European standard, expert qualifications, code of ethics, expertise process, risk identification, expert deliverables, professional competence, impartiality, confidentiality, CEN standards, expertise service providers.