WRITTEN QUESTION E-2064/99

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(12 November 1999)

Subject: Interpretation from and into Central and Eastern European languages

In their relations with third countries, the EU institutions with particular regard to the Commission, the Council and Parliament are obliged to organise or take part in numerous meetings with persons speaking a language other than one of the official languages of the Union. Over recent years particularly since the disintegration of the Soviet and Yugoslav regimes the number of languages used in such meetings has increased.

Unfortunately, the proceedings of such meetings are very often marred by a lack of interpreters (or of properly trained interpreters), both inside the Union and in third countries and, in some third countries, by a lack of appropriate technical facilities. During meetings with representatives of most of the above countries both on Community premises and in those countries themselves interpretation from and into the non-Community language is very often provided by interpreters from the country in question.

Would the Commission not agree that, inter alia in order to obtain the best possible value for money from particularly costly meetings, there is an urgent need to devise ad hoc policies aimed at funding the provision of appropriate facilities in such third countries, establishing a reserve pool of EU interpreters (shared by the Council, Commission and Parliament) able to provide, wherever necessary, interpretation from the languages of the third countries concerned (in particular Macedonian, Albanian, Croatian, Serbian, Armenian, Georgian, Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Turkmen, Tadzhiki, Uzbek, Kirghiz and Mongol) into the official languages of the Union, and funding the training of local interpreters in the use of modern techniques and technologies?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(22 December 1999)

The Commission has been organising selection tests for freelance interpreters in the languages of the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEEC), since 1990. At present a total of around 200 interpreters have been accredited for all CEEC languages. This makes it possible to provide the interpretation that is needed at all meetings that are organised in relation to the anticipated enlargement.

Considerable efforts have been undertaken with the help of TAIEX (Technical Assistance Information Exchange) and other organisations, in order to contribute to improving the training of interpreters in applicant countries. The activities include teaching and technical and financial assistance to training courses and the provision of 80 bursaries for students in the interpretation of CEEC languages.

In addition, professional courses of these languages are offered to Commission staff and freelance interpreters.

Lists of accredited interpreters are available in Albanian and the languages of the former Yugoslavia other than Slovene, which is obviously the language of an applicant country.

The number of interpreters in the languages of the former Soviet Union other than Russian, is very small. The Commission has a short list, and also co-operates with the authorities of the countries concerned or with Commission delegations in the relevant locations when dealing with specific requests.

The Commission is studying various possibilities with the purpose of ensuring a comprehensive approach to remedying the problems connected with interpreting the languages of those countries, taking into account the opportunities of achieving a multiplier effect.

The Commission will report its conclusions from these studies in due course.