This document specifies general terms and definitions relating to conformity assessment, including the accreditation of conformity assessment bodies, and to the use of conformity assessment to facilitate trade. A description of the functional approach to conformity assessment is included in Annex A, as a further aid to understanding among users of conformity assessment, conformity assessment bodies and accreditation bodies, in both voluntary and regulatory environments. This document does not set out to provide a vocabulary for all of the concepts that may need to be used in describing particular conformity assessment activities. Terms and definitions are given only where the concept defined would not be understandable from the general language use of the term, or where an existing standard definition is not applicable. NOTE 1 – The notes appended to certain definitions offer clarification or examples to facilitate understanding of the concepts described. In certain cases, the notes may differ in different languages for linguistic reasons, or additional notes may be given. NOTE 2 – The terms and definitions are laid out in a systematic order, with an alphabetical index. A term in a definition or note that is defined in another entry is indicated by bold-face followed by its entry number in parentheses. Such terms may be replaced by their complete definition.