Translating for the European Union:

Multilingualism in Practice

Dr Angeliki PETRITSLanguage Officer

European Commission, UK

angelique.petrits@ec.europa.eu

University of Sheffield 206/11/2013

Why study languages?

University of Sheffield 306/11/2013

EU official languages over time

University of Sheffield 406/11/2013

European Institutions

• European Parliament

• European Commission

• Council of Ministers of the European Union

• European Court of Justice

• European Court of Auditors

• European Central Bank

Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, Frankfurt

University of Sheffield 506/11/2013

Linguists in the EU

Council

Parliament

Court of Justice

Court of Auditors

Economic &Social Committee

Committee of the Regions

Translators: ± 4300

European Central Bank

Translation Centre

Interpreters: ± 1000

University of Sheffield 606/11/2013

Different jobs for linguists

• Conference Interpreters

• Translators

• Lawyer linguists

University of Sheffield 706/11/2013

Interpreting for Europe ... into English

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA2fWvtMPDU

Translating for Europe ... into English

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCq02VafLhU

University of Sheffield 806/11/2013

We translate and interpret from and into all the EU’s 24 official languages

University of Sheffield 906/11/2013

…and cover all subject areas

University of Sheffield 1006/11/2013

Languages in EU and UN

•UN: 6 working and official languages

• EU: 24 working and official languages

University of Sheffield 1106/11/2013

The legal basisTreaty on the Functioning of the European Union

• Citizens have a right to address the official EU bodies in any of the EU’s official languages and to receive a reply in that language.

Council Regulation No 1/58

• Regulations and other documentsof general application shall bedrafted in the official languages.

University of Sheffield 1206/11/2013

Translation and democracy

Thanks to translation, people can help build the European Union and contribute to its openness and legitimacy.

University of Sheffield 1306/11/2013

Types of languages

• Official/working/Treaty languages: 24 • Procedural languages: English, French, German

• Semi-official languages: Basque, Catalan, Galician, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh

University of Sheffield 1406/11/2013

Semi-official languages

UK or Spain Commission

Citizens

Com

mis

sio

n S

erv

ices

Desig

nate

d b

od

yTra

nslatio

n

Reply in the„regional” language

Written communicationin the

„regional” language

Original mail+ translation

into official language

Reply in theofficial language

University of Sheffield 1506/11/2013

European Commission

• Initiates new legislation

• Implements EU policies and supervises compliance with EU law

University of Sheffield 1606/11/2013

DG Translation

Some 2500 translators and support staff

50% in Brussels

50% in Luxembourg

Field Offices in Member States

University of Sheffield 1706/11/2013

1.76 million pages translated in 2012

University of Sheffield 1806/11/2013

Language of original documents (%)•

English

FrenchOthers

German

University of Sheffield 1906/11/2013

Number of translated pages 2012by target language (%)

University of Sheffield 2006/11/2013

University of Sheffield 2106/11/2013

Main document types 2012

36%

18%15%

6%

1%

11%1%2% 6%

2% 3%

1 EU law, including the legislative process

2 Guardian of the Treaties/Implementation of EU law

3 Correspondence

4 Political documents

5 Relations with other EU institutions

6 Communication, web, media, publications

7 Budget, budgetary procedure

8 Documents linked to international organisations and non-EU countries

9 Notices for publication in OJ

10 Commission working or internal documents

11 Other

University of Sheffield 2206/11/2013

What else do we do?

Links with schools and universities

Machine translation

LIND-Web

StudiesTerminology and tools

European Day of Languages

VisitingTranslatorScheme

University of Sheffield 2306/11/2013

Translation contest for Europe’s budding linguistsWebsite: ec.europa.eu/translatores Facebook.com/translatoresTwitter: @translatores

University of Sheffield 2406/11/2013

Clear Writing campaign

• Be concrete not abstract

• KISS! Keep It Short and Simple

• Cut out excess nouns

• Ask before you start: what, who, when, where, how, why, how much?

University of Sheffield 2506/11/2013

European Master’s in Translation

University of Sheffield 2606/11/2013

Challenges ahead

• Future EU enlargements

• Doing more with less

• Modernity: efficiency gains by developing tools

• Recruitment: replacing retiring staff and attractingnew blood

University of Sheffield 2706/11/2013

Job opportunities

• Permanent job(EU official)

• Contract staff

• External contractor(freelance)

• Trainee

University of Sheffield 2806/11/2013

Recruitment competitionsfor EU officials

Publication:

• Official Journal of the European Union (C edition)

• EPSO (European Personnel Selection Office) website www.eu-careers.eu

Selection procedure: 5 to 9 months

University of Sheffield 2906/11/2013

Recruitment criteria

You must be an EU citizen

You must hold a full university degree (BA) in languages or another field (translator)

Master’s in Conference Interpreting (interpreter)

No professional experience is required

University of Sheffield 3006/11/2013

Language knowledge

• Perfect command of your main language or mother tongue

• Very sound knowledge of English or German or French (first source language)

• Very sound knowledge of a second source language among the EU’s official languages

University of Sheffield 3106/11/2013

Other skills

• People with non-language degrees please apply!

• Translator profile and skills needed: see

ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/workwithus/staff/profile

University of Sheffield 3206/11/2013

The competition process

• Apply online (July for translators)

• Pre-selection test (numerical, verbal & abstract reasoning, linguistic knowledge)

• Translation or interpreting tests, group exercise, structured interview, oral presentation

University of Sheffield 3306/11/2013

2013 Competitions for linguists• Translators into Danish, Dutch, English, French,

Italian, Maltese, and SloveneDeadline: 13th August midday – CET

• Lawyer linguists into Dutch, German, Latvian and Portuguese (Court of Justice)

19th September – 22nd October

• Lawyer linguists into Danish, Dutch, English, German and Irish (Council and Parliament)

17th October – 19th November

• Interpreters into English, French, Romanian and Slovenian

4th July – 6th August

University of Sheffield 3406/11/2013

What can the Commission offer you?

• €4500/month starting salary• Good leave entitlement• Varied and challenging work with scope to shape

your own career in the Commission• Excellent language learning opportunities• Job security• Multicultural environment• Flexible working-time arrangements (translators)

University of Sheffield 3506/11/2013

• Duration: 5 months

• Two rounds per year, starting in March and October

• Applications in January (October) and July (March)

• For university graduates only

• For EU citizens – but a quota for other countries’ nationals

• Competence: able to translate from two EU languages into your main language

• Monthly grant

Traineeships

University of Sheffield 3606/11/2013

More information?

• Web: ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation

• Facebook.com/translatingforeurope

University of Sheffield 3706/11/2013

Cost of multilingualism

• Translation and interpreting in all EU institutions put together cost each EU citizen just over 2 euros per year.

• The cost of multilingualism adds up to less than 1% of the annual EU budget.

University of Sheffield 3806/11/2013 Name of event/occasion

University of Sheffield 3906/11/2013

Thank you for your attention!