About DIN

DIN, the German Institute for Standardization, develops norms and standards as a service to industry, the state and society as a whole. A registered non-profit association, DIN has been based in Berlin since 1917. DIN's primary task is to work closely with its stakeholders to develop consensus-based standards that meet market requirements. Some 28,000 experts contribute their skills and experience to the standardization process. By agreement with the German Federal Government, DIN is the acknowledged national standards body that represents German interests in European and international standards organizations. Over eighty percent of the standards work now carried out by DIN is international in scope.

The members of DIN come from industry, associations, public authorities, commerce, the trades and research organizations. The permanent staff at DIN coordinate the entire standardization process at national level and are responsible for organizing German participation in standards work at the European and international level.

Tasks and objectives of DIN

• Ensuring the participation of all stakeholders regardless of their economic position and language skills

• Promoting the free movement of goods through active involvement in international and European standardization

• Holding the secretariats of international committees

• Adopting European and international standards at national level

• Maintaining the uniformity and consistency of the standards collection

• Actively contributing to consensus building

• Taking legal regulations into consideration

• Providing an electronic infrastructure for standards development

• Avoiding duplication of work

In 1975 DIN signed an agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany which stipulates that DIN is to give due consideration to the public interest in the preparation of standards and to ensure that its standards can be referenced in legislation and in legal relations as documents defining technical requirements. DIN further undertakes to provide fair rules of procedure so as to enable weaker economic partners to take part in its work. For its part, the Federal Government recognizes DIN as the competent standards organization for Germany and as the national standards body representing Germany in non-governmental international standards organizations, and undertakes to apply DIN standards in its administrative departments, when issuing invitations to tender or placing orders, and to use its influence to ensure that other public authorities placing contracts do the same.

At DIN standards work is carried out by over 70 standards committees which are in turn divided up into a larger or smaller number of sections and subcommittees. Normally a given subject is the responsibility of one standards committee. Each committee also represents German interests in its sector in European and international standards organizations.