Ausschuss

Ausschuss is a German noun with two primary meanings. One refers to a committee or supervisory body formed of members to handle a specific task. The other refers to goods or parts that have been rejected in a quality-control process or manufacturing, i.e., items that are excluded from normal sale or use. In both senses the term conveys the idea of something being set apart or handled by a designated group.

In politics and public administration, Ausschüsse are essential elements of procedure. They examine and debate issues in detail, hear expert testimony, and prepare reports or draft recommendations for the plenary assembly. In German-speaking systems, parliamentary Ausschüsse can be permanent (ständige Ausschüsse) or temporary and specialized (Fachausschüsse). There are also investigative Ausschüsse (Untersuchungsausschüsse) that probe specific matters. Government ministries and agencies may establish internal or interministerial Ausschüsse to coordinate policy, budgeting, or procurement.

In corporate governance, Ausschüsse function as specialized sub-bodies of boards or supervisory boards. Common examples include the Prüfungsausschuss (audit committee), responsible for financial reporting and risk oversight; der Vergütungs- oder Nominierungsausschuss (remuneration and nomination committee), which handles compensation policies and board appointments. Membership is typically composed of board members, with independence emphasized for certain committees to ensure objective oversight.

In industry and manufacturing, Ausschuss also denotes rejects or defective items identified during production. Such Ausschussware is excluded from inventory or sale, and its quantity is tracked as an Ausschussquote or rejection rate to monitor quality and process efficiency.

Overall, Ausschuss describes both a formal decision-making or oversight body and the portion of outputs deemed unsuitable, depending on the context.