Translating and Interpreting for the European Union

Rebecca Watts

Translator, European Commission

SWATI, University of Westminster

2 June 2018

Languages in the EU administrative system

• 24 Official/Working/Treaty languages

• 5 Additional languages: Basque, Catalan, Galician, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh

• 3 Procedural languages: English, French, German

Linguist careers in the EU: 3 roles

Translator

Interpreter

Lawyer linguist

Linguists in the EU

European Parliament

Court of Justice Court of Auditors

European Economic & Social Committee

Committee of the Regions

European Central Bank

Translation Centre

Translators : ± 4,200 Interpreters: ± 1,000

Council

DG Translation

Some 2200 translators and support staff

47% in Brussels

52% in Luxembourg

1% in Field Offices in Member States

We cover all subject areas

DGT's English-language department

• Main task is translating documents from EU member states

• Translates into EN from 22 other EU languages (not Irish)

• Translated 207,863 pages in 2016; over half outsourced

• 112 staff translators across three units (April 2017)

• Units focus on different policy areas: 2 in BXL, 1 in LUX

• Covers documents across full range of EU policies

Working for us: staff categories

• Permanent staff member (EU official)

• Temporary/Contract staff

• External contractor (freelance)

• Trainee (intern)

Language ability for permanent staff, temporary staff, contract staff

• Perfect command of main language/mother tongue, which must be an EU official language

• Very sound knowledge of a first source language, must be an EU official language

• Very sound knowledge of a second source language, must be an EU official language

• No language certificate required! We test you

Permanent staff: basic criteria

You must be an EU citizen

You need a bachelor's degree in any subject

Translator: no master's degree required

Interpreter: conference interpreting master's

No professional experience is required

Permanent staff member: recruitment procedure

• Permanent staff are taken on through a two-stage procedure: selection followed by recruitment.

• The selection phase is an open competition: an EU civil service exam lasting around 9 months. Applicants take a series of tests to determine the best candidates, who are placed on a reserve list.

• Second, in the recruitment phase, managers seeking new staff choose candidates from the reserve list.

• Entire process managed through www.eu-careers.eu

The competition process

• Create an EPSO account and apply online

• Computer-based pre-selection tests in L1 +

• Language competency tests in L2 and L3

•

• Translation tests L2 -> L1 and L3 -> L1

• Assessment centre: Group exercise, structured interview, oral presentation

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What can the Commission offer you?

• €4,700/month starting salary

• Good leave entitlement

• Varied and challenging work with scope to shape your own career in the EU institutions

• Excellent language learning opportunities

• Job security

• Multicultural environment

• Flexible working-time arrangements

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Contract staff

• Selection procedure usually organised by EPSO

• Pool of applicants (= database) from which contract staff are recruited

• For more information, check regularly

ec.europa.eu/info/jobs-european-commission_en

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Temporary staff

• Selection and recruitment usually run by individual EU institutions and agencies

• For information and vacancies, check regularly:

ec.europa.eu/info/jobs-european-commission_en

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• Duration: up to 5 months

• Two rounds per year, starting in March and October

• For university graduates only

• For EU citizens – but a quota for other nationals

• Skills needed: ability to translate from two EU languages into your main language

• Monthly grant

• Apply here: https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/working/linguists_en

Traineeships

www.eu-careers.eu

Thank you very much!

Go raibh maith agaibh!

Najlepša hvala!

Hartelijk dank!

Dziękujemy za uwagę!

Köszönjük szépen!

Mange tak!

Nirringrazzjawk ħafna!

Nuoširdžiai dėkojame!

Kiitoksia paljon!

Muito obrigado!

Grazie mille!

¡Muchas gracias!

Liels paldies!

Vielen Dank!

Σας ευχαριστούμε πολύ!

Merci beaucoup !

Suur tänu!

Ďakujeme vám veľmi pekne!

Mockrát děkujeme!

Много Ви благодарим!

Tack så mycket!

Mulţumesc!

Hvala lijepa!