2009 DGT Master Presentation

Directorate-General for Translation

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Translation at the European Commission (DGT): Traineeships, Translation

Competitions and Freelance Translation

Alberto RivasNovember 2009

- 2 - Insert the dateName of event/occasion

1. GENERAL BACKGROUND


The European Union: 493 million people – 27 countries

Member states of the European Union

Candidate countries


Eight enlargements

1952 1973 1981 1986

1990 1995 2004 2007


23 official languages


Official languages: 1958 - 2008


The treaties – basis for democratic cooperation built on law

1952The European Steel and

Coal Community

1958The treaties of Rome:

ECC + EURATOM

1987The European Single Act: the Single Market

1993Treaty of

European Union – Maastricht

1999Treaty of

Amsterdam

2003Treaty of Nice

2007Treaty of Lisbon

(signed)


The new Lisbon Treaty

Signed in December 2007, it will enter into force on 1 December 2009

The Treaty will make the European Union:

More efficient – “Qualified” majority voting in the Council (instead of unanimity), full-time president for the Council.

More democratic - Stronger role for the European Parliament and national parliaments, "Citizens initiative“ (1 million people), the Charter of Fundamental Rights will be legally binding.


The Lisbon Treaty

and also…

More united on the world stage - a reinforced High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, extended EU’s role to disarmament operations, military advice and assistance, and helping to restore stability after conflicts.

More secure - new provisions strengthening the EU’s ability to fight international cross border crime, illegal immigration, trafficking of people, arms and drugs, etc.

Social objectives: promotion of a high level of employment


How is the EU’s money spent?

Total EU budget 2008: 129.1 billion euro = 1.03% of Gross National Income

Citizens, freedom,security and justice

1%

Other, administration6%

Sustainable growth:new jobs, cohesion,

research45%

The EU as a global player:including development aid

6%

Natural resources:agriculture,environment

43%


Some examples of EU policies


Fighting the climate change

To stop global warming, EU leaders decided in 2007 to:reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by

2020 (30% if other developed countries do likewise) improve energy efficiency by 20% by 2020raise the share of renewable energy

to 20% by 2020 (wind, solar, hydro power, biomass)


Improving growth and employment

Challenges:Demography: Europeans live longer, have fewer

children Globalisation: European economy faces

competition from other parts of the worldClimate change: Emission of greenhouse gases

must come down Solutions: European leaders have therefore agreed on a joint strategy for:

More research and innovationA more dynamic business environmentInvesting in peopleA greener economy


Promoting research

Spending on research and development in percentage of Gross Domestic Product, 2006

1.8%

3.0%

1.3%

2.6%

3.3%

EU EU objectivefor 2010

China Japan United States


Investing in less well-off EU regions through social, regional and cohesion funds

2007-2013: 347 billion euro invested for infrastructure, business, environment and training of workers for less well-off regions or citizens Regional fund Social fund Cohesion fund

Convergence objective: regions with GDP per capita under 75% of the EU average. 81.5% of the funds are spent on this objective.

Regional competitiveness and employment objective.


The euro – a single currency for Europeans

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Can be used everywhere in the euro area

Coins: one side with national symbols, one side common

Notes: no national side


The single market: freedom of choice

Since 1993:

2.5 million new jobs prices of phone calls and airfares halved

Four freedoms of movement:

goods

services

people

capital

©G

etty

Imag

es


Freedom of people’s movement

“Schengen space”:No police or customs checks at

borders between most EU countries Controls strengthened at EU

external borders More cooperation between police

from different EU countries You can buy and bring back any

goods for personal use when you travel between EU countries

©C

orbi

s


More opportunities to study abroad

Over two million young people have studied or pursued personaldevelopment in other Europeancountries with support from EU-programmes: Comenius: school education

Erasmus: higher education

Leonardo da Vinci: vocational training

Grundtvig: adult education

Youth in Action: voluntary work andnon-formal education©

Get

ty Im

ages


Mesures to improve health and environment

Pollution knows no borders – joint action neededEU action has helped bring us: Cleaner bathing water Much less acid rain Lead-free petrol Free and safe disposal of old electronic equipment Strict rules on food safety from farm to fork More organic and quality farming More effective health warnings on cigarettes Registration and control of all chemicals (REACH)

©Va

n Pa

rys

Med

ia


An area of freedom, security and justice

Charter of Fundamental Rights Joint fight against terrorism Police and law-enforcers from

different countries cooperate Coordinated asylum and immigration

policies Civil law cooperation

©Eu

rope

anU

nion

Pol

ice

Mis

sion


External EU action: exporting peace and prosperity

World trade rules

Common foreign and security policy

Development assistance and humanitarian aid

EU runs the peacekeeping operations and the rebuilding of society in

war-torn countries like Bosnia-Herzegovina.


European Parliament

The EU institutions

Court of Justice

Court of Auditors

Economic and Social Committee

Committee of the Regions

Council of Ministers(Council of the EU)

European Commission

European Investment Bank European Central Bank

Agencies

European Council (summit)


An EU Agency in Thessaloniki

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)

• Established in 1975 and originally based in Berlin, in 1995 Cedefop's head office was transferred to Thessaloniki

• Promotion of a European area of lifelong learning throughout an enlarged EU

• It does this by providing information on and analyses of vocational education and training systems, policies, research and practice

• http://www.cedefop.europa.eu


How EU laws are made

Citizens, interests groups, experts: discuss, consult

Commission: makes formal proposal

Parliament and Council of Ministers: decide jointly

Commission and Court of Justice: monitor implementation

National or local authorities: implement


United Kingdom

The European Parliament – voice of the people

13

24

78

78

14

Italy

Ireland

24Hungary

Greece

99Germany

France

Finland

6Estonia

14Denmark

24Czech Republic

6Cyprus

18Bulgaria

24Belgium

18Austria

Decides EU laws and budget together with Council of Ministers Democratic supervision of all the EU’s work

Total 785

78

19Sweden

54Spain

7Slovenia

14Slovakia

35Romania

24Portugal

54Poland

27Netherlands

5Malta

6Luxembourg

13Lithuania

9Latvia

Number of members elected in each country


The European political parties


Council of Ministers – voice of the member States

One minister from each EU country

Presidency: rotates every six months

Decides EU laws and budget together

with Parliament

Manages the Common Foreign and

Security Policy


Council of Ministers – number of votes per country

345Total:

3Malta

4Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovenia

7Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Finland

10Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden

12Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary and Portugal

13Netherlands

14Romania

27Spain and Poland

29Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom

“Qualified majority” needed for many decisions:255 votes and a majority of member States

Lisbon Treaty: from 2014 on, “double majority” - 55% of member States representing 65% from UE population


Summit at the European Council

Summit of heads of state and government of all EU countries

Held at least 3 times a yearSets the overall guidelines for EU policies


Two new faces for Europe

Herman Van Rompuy, EU’s first permanent President of the European Council

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy


The European Commission, an executive organ

27 independent members, one from each EU country

Proposes new legislationPromotes common interest Guardian of the treatiesRepresents the EU on the international

stage


The Court of Justice – enforcing the law

27 independent judges,one from each EU countryRules on how to interpret EU lawEnsures EU laws are used in the same

way in all EU countries


The European Court of Auditors: monitoring the use of your money

27 independent members

Checks that EU funds are used properly

Can audit any person or organisation dealing with EU funds


Ensures price stability

Controls money supply and decides interest rates

Works independently from governments

The European Central Bank:managing the euro

Jean-Claude TrichetPresident of the Central Bank


The European Economic and Social Committee: voice of civil society

344 members

Represents trade unions, employers, farmers, consumers etc

Advises on new EU laws and policies

Promotes the involvement of civil society in EU matters


The Committee of the Regions:voice of local government

344 members

Represents cities, regions

Advises on new EU laws and policies

Promotes the involvement of local government in EU matters


2. THE DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR TRANSLATION (DGT) AT THE

EUROPEAN COMMISSION


Context: the European Commission Directorates-General

± 15 policy DGs: Agriculture, Competition, Internal Market, Education and Culture, etc.6 external relations DGs6 general services DGs (Eurostat, OP, etc.)± 10 internal services, for example the DGT


Why do we translate?

EU laws are binding on its citizens. To be able to comply with them, they - and their courts - have to understand them.The EU is a transparent, multicultural and democratic organisation which wants its citizens to play a full part in its activities.Citizens have a right to make their contributions to the work of the EU institutions without having to learn a foreign language for the purpose.


Legal basis

Council Regulation No 1/58: “Regulations and other documents of general application shall be drafted in the 21 official languages.”

Treaty establishing the European Community:

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.


Strategy for Multilingualism

Aims of the Strategy:• to encourage language learning and promoting

linguistic diversity in society• to promote a healthy multilingual economy• to give citizens access to European Union

legislation, procedures and information in their own languages.


Actions for a multilingual societyEducation: teacher training, early language learning, content and language integrated learning, languages in higher education, academic field of multilingualism, European Indicator of Language Competence, research and development in multilingualism.Actions for a multilingual economy.Multilingualism in the relations with citizens: communication (Internet, publications), greater role of DGT Field Offices, seminars for journalists and opinion multipliers, multilingual tools, supporting European Master’s on interpreting and conferences, providing with a model curriculum of a Master’s degree in translation and VTS, etc.

- 44 -Corfu, November 2006

Languages most commonly used in the European Union: %

5%

9%

9%

13%

12%

18%

13%

5%

2%

11%

12%

34%

1%

2%

1%

1%

5%

3%Other

(SPONTANEOUS)

Russian

Dutch

Polish

Spanish

Italian

French

German

English

Mother tongue Foreign language

TOTAL

47%

30%

23%

15%

14%

10%

6%

6%

5%


Ability to hold a conversation in a foreign language (% Country)

Respondents able to participate in a conversation in another language than their mother tongue

% Country

29%

30%

36%

36%

36%

41%

45%

49% 49% 50%

58%

60%

62%

66%

69%

71%

72%

87%

88%

88%

89%

90%

91%

93%

99%

93%

HU

UK

PT

IT

ES

IE

FR

PL

EL

EU25

AT

CZ

DE

FI

SK

BE

CY

EE

SE

DK

SI

LT

NL

MT

LV

LU


Status of EU official languages (Commission)

Internal working languages (procedural languages) (3): English, French and GermanNon-procedural languages (20):• Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian,

Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Slovak, Slovene, Swedish

• External information and communication• Final version of all official and legislative

documents


DGT staff and production

23 linguistic departments: 506 possible linguistic combinationsStaff: ± 1 750 translators (plus assistants, total ± 2 350 persons, 50 % in Brussels / 50% inLuxembourg)Total production (2008): 1 805 689 pagesOriginal texts (2008): EN (72%), FR (12%), DE (3%), other languages (13%)


DGT compared with the translation services of the other EU institutions

56%

13%15%

6%

7%

3%

Comm.EPCouncilESCC. JusticeC. Audit


What do we translate in DGT?

u Documents forming part of the legislative processu Policy documents u Reports to other institutionsu Commission’s decisions and communicationsu Internal working documentsu Correspondenceu Press materialu Texts for the Webu Speeches, minutes, etc.


Categories of documents translatedFigure C. Translated pages by document category

August 2005-February 2006

Legislative texts266 632p

(33%)

Documents of political

importance(commu-nications etc.)

160 272p(20%)

Meeting/working documents

31 890p(4%)

Guides/manuals for Member States

7 314p(1%)

Correspondence, letters from citizens

17 964p(2%)

Implementing Member State

legislation12 195p

(2%)

Bulletin3250p(0%) Brochures

8 983p(1%)

Information for the general public

19 359p(2%)

Webpages47 869p

(6%)

Documents arising from legal obligations

96 903p(12%)

Others128 231p

(16%)

August 2005 – February 2006


DGT internal organisation

K.- J LönnrothDirector General

Adviser

Translation Centre

Assistant

DGT01Audit

DGT02Communication and

Information

DGT03Inter-institutional relations

and general affairs

Directorate A Directorate C *Directorate D *

Transversal linguisticservices

Directorate R -Resources

Directorate S -Translation strategyand Multilingualism

LD DA

LD SV

D2 - WEB-translationLD FI

LD IT

LD ES

D4- Editing

LD PT

LD SK

LD EL

D1 -Field Officesand relations withrepresentations

R3Informatics

R4Training

R2Financial Resources

R5Internal

Administrativematters

R1Human resources

S2External Translation

S3Multilingualism and

terminologycoordination

S1Demand

Management

Horizontal Units

S4Evaluation and

Analysis

LD ET

LD HU

LD LT

LD SL

LD MT

LD LV LD CZ

Directorate B

LD EN

IRISH

D3 - Library/Documentation

LD FR

LD DE

LD NL

LD PL

* EU 10 * EU 10

LUX LUX LUXBRU BRU BRU


Translation workflow

Pre-processing

Electronic'post-processing'

of text

Text is archived electronically

Translation departmentsends the text

to the customer

Text is translated andrevised

Translation departmentreceives the text

Central Planningsends the text to the relevant

planning unit

Directorate-General sendsrequest for translation


Specialisation of translators: areas of the Commission's work

Administration Agriculture and rural

development Competition Taxation and customs

union Education and culture Employment and social

affairs Energy and transport Enterprise and industry Environment External relationsFisheries and maritime

affairs

Health and consumer protection Information society and

the media Internal market and

services Economic and financial

affairs Legal affairs Regional policy Research Statistics Trade


Quality assurance

Some specialisationCompilation and use of translation memories Revision of translations as necessaryCoordination of language versions, electronic exchange of translators’ notesSupport functions: IT, innovation in working methods, terminology, documentation etc.Improvement of original texts: Editing Service for English and French originals, clear writing campaigns


3. WORKING FOR THE DGT: TRAINEESHIPS, TRANSLATION

COMPETITIONS AND FREELANCE TRANSLATION


Working for the DGT

The DGT is one of the biggest employers of translators in the world Opportunities:• Trainee — twice each year, we take on a

small number of graduate interns who wish to gain some professional translation experience

• Staff translator — permanent in-house staff are all recruited through open competitions

• Contractor — contracts are awarded through periodic public tenders, open to individual freelance translators and agencies

Information:http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/workwithus/index_en.htm


Translator or interpreter?

The European Commission has two separate language services, DG Translation and DG Interpretation They recruit staff independently of each other and on different criteria. Linguists at the Commission work exclusively for one or the other.Translators work with written text, interpreters with the spoken word. So these are two different careers.


Traineeships for translation interns at the DGT

DG Translation offers a small number of traineeships each yearOpen to graduates looking to gain some professional translation experience within the European institutions.Basic requirements: you must• hold a full university-level degree • be able to translate into your mother tongue or main

language from two EU official languages (one of which must be French, English or German)

• you are not eligible to apply if you have already completed an EU traineeship lasting more than six weeks elsewhere (at the EP, for example).


Traineeships

Trainees are usually assigned to a translation unit made up of translators with the same mother tongue or main language. As a trainee you do the same work as staff colleagues —translating into your mother tongue from at least two other official EU languages. Your work is revised by experienced senior staff. Trainees receive a grant of € 1,013 per month. Commission traineeships run for five months from 1 March and 1 October every year.


Applications for traineeships

You can fill out the online trainee application on the Traineeships Office website: http://ec.europa.eu/stages/information/application_en.htmDeadlines for applications:• 1 September for traineeships starting in March • 15 February for traineeships starting in October

The online application form is available for filling out only:• from 1 June to 1 September (for traineeships starting

on 1 March the following year) • from 1 December to 15 February (for traineeships

starting on 1 October of the same year).Information: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/workwithus/trainee/index_en.htm


Some advice

Very important: your motivation text, associated to your training and your working prospectsUnfortunately, small number of traineeships available for the ever-increasing demand!There are also traineeships in other institutions, like EP, but you are not eligible to apply if you have already completed an EU traineeship lasting more than six weeks elsewhere


Recruitment competitions

Translators whose mother tongue or main language is one of the official languages of the European UnionCompetitions for translators will normally be held every 3 years for each language, although the interval is sometimes longer.

- 63 - Insert the dateName of event/occasion 29/07/08

General remarks

All competitions are held on interinstitutionallevel by EPSO (European Personnel SelectionOffice), http://europa.eu/epso/index_en.htmApplications only via the Internet through the EPSO siteThe whole procedure takes between 5 and 9 months on averageLast competition for Greek language translators was published on 15 November 2006Candidates must have their degree at the moment of applying!


Conditions of eligibility

Nationality: one of the 27 member States

Full rights as a citizen

Obligations imposed on military service

Degree or equivalent qualification – Bachelor

No professional experience is required

No age limit


Degree

The degree can be:in languages

orin fields such as:

laweconomicsaccountancyauditingfinancenatural sciencessocial and political sciencestechnology


Particular skills

The Commission places particular importance:

On the ability of applicants to grasp problems of all kinds, often complex in nature

To react rapidly to changing circumstances

To communicate effectively


Linguistic knowledge requirements

•Perfect command of the main/mother language(target language)•Very sound knowledge of either EN, DE, FR as first source language•Thorough knowledge of a second EU official source language•Any knowledge of additional EU languages will bean asset (tests taken into account once established the reserve list)•Details of knowledge of languages must be givenin the online registration form and in the application form


Application

The number of successful candidates is settledaccording to the global needs of the institutions. It determines the « cascade system ».

Example: if 100 recruitments, 120 names on the list (always+ 20 %)

Application via Internet – EPSO website – alwaysto be confirmed

Don’t miss: Guide for applications and “Frequently Asked Questions” for competitions (EPSO site)


Preselection tests

All applicants are invited to attend computerisedadmission tests organised in specialised centres

• Verbal reasoning

• Numerical reasoning

• Linguistic skills test

• Abstract reasoning test

All these tests are held in the competitionlanguage (main/mother language).


Next step: full application

Marking of preselection tests The applicants with the highest marks at the preselection tests are requested to submit a full application: e.g. 360 applicants if 100 recruitments and 120 names on the reserve list.The applicants with the 360 highest marks and having a complete/correct file are invited to attend a series of tests in an Assessment Centre


Written and oral tests

• Written and oral tests take place on the sameday, in Brussels

• 2 translations−45 lines, with dictionary−Double marking – third if necessary

• Oral presentation (FR/EN/DE)

• Structured interview (mother tongue)

• Reserve list: 120 names (100 recruitments + 20 %)


Validity of the reserve list

Every candidate, successful or not, receives a feedback about his/herperformances at the competition.The list remains valid over a certain periodthat may be extended.Successful candidates can send theirupdated CVs, especially if they acquirenew linguistic skills.


Working as a contractor for the DGTPart of our translation work is done by external contractors in the private sector. DGT recruits all contractors through the tendering procedure and issues a public call for tenders every few years. Calls for tender and expressions of interest are published in the Official Journal of the European Union and also on the DGT site: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/workwithus/contractor/index_en.htmBoth individual freelance translators and translation agencies can apply.Information:http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/translation/workingwithus/freelance/index_en.htm


Selection criteria for freelances

Technical and professional capacity to carry out the work assigned to them => know-how, efficiency, experience and reliabilityMinimum qualification: university degree Translation capacityUse of translation tools/technical equipmentDetailed information on work methodology:• Recruitment procedures and individual work

assignment• Workflow• Quality control


DGT’s translation needs

The languages we need are primarily the EU's official languages.Most commonly, these are translated into and out of English, French or German. We occasionally need translations involving other languages, e.g. Russian, Arabic and Chinese, accounting for less than 1% of outsourced translations.In 2008, we sent out some 475 000 pages to contractors, about 26% of our total output. None of the texts we send out are confidential, politically sensitive or urgent.


Calls for tender

DGT issues calls for tenders and calls for expression of interestWe issue calls for tender for language combinations or fields for which there is a large volume of work to be outsourcedSuccessful tenderers are awarded framework contracts (duration of 4 years max) which commit them to providing translations at a given price Individual translations are allocated to the contractor offering the best price-quality ratio Framework contracts do not guarantee that the contractor will necessarily receive work


Calls for expressions of interest

Issued for lower-volume language combinations and fields.Tenderers who meet the selection criteria are added to our list of approved translation providers for a particular language combination or field They will then be invited to quote a price for relevant jobs as they come up Jobs are awarded to the bidder offering the lowest price.


Trends in translation at the Commission

12.5 %9 %8 %- in other EU languages

2.5 %3.1 %5 %- in German

12 %26 %40 %- in French

73 %62 %45 %Source text written in English

26.3 %23 %16 %Proportion outsourcing

1,805,6891,270,5861,125,709Total output in pages

200820041997


Breakdown by target language 2008

9.548

17.14

97.4

09

34.59

011

.064

101.8

514.0

73

16.70

96.4

26

43.57

279

7

14.01

69.9

69 13.84

816

.834

15.69

6

10.18

0 15.65

16.9

22 13.72

7

17.83

617

.526

11.40

1

1.375

0

20.000

40.000

60.000

80.000

100.000

BG CS DA DE EL EN ES ET FI FR GA HU IT LT LV MT NL PL PT RO SK SL SV NONEU

DGT Outsourcing 2008

BG CS DA DE EL EN ES ET FI FR GA HU IT LT LV MT NL PL PT RO SK SL SV NON EU


What do external contractors translate?

In principle all types of documents, with some exceptions: new legislation, politically sensitive, confidential or very urgent texts.

Certain specialised documents (law, economics, finance, agriculture, customs, taxation, telecommunications, etc.) if DGT does not have the linguistic or thematic expertise available within its own ranks

Mainly from English and French, as well as from all languages into English.


Quality management

• Regular, “thematic” calls for tenders – specifically targeted to certain domains• Very demanding selection and award criteria•Quality/price ratio: 60 - 40• Systematic assessment of quality and feedback• Dynamic ranking of contractors reflecting their actual translation quality…


Dynamic ranking of contractors

It reflects their actual translation qualityTranslations supplied by freelance contractors are checked and evaluated in the translating unitsTranslations which fail to meet the required standard are then considered by an Interinstitutional Quality Assessment Committee before final decisionFollow-up measures in case of unsatisfactory work: from a warning letter to partial or complete termination of the framework contract


Assistance to external translators

Information seminars with contractors (typically in the Member States)

Reference documents, translation memories (if available), contact

Regular feedback (e.g. document compares, free-text explanations)

Online terminology database Online documentary databases (collections of

EU law and jurisprudence) Dedicated website for external contractors and

others interested (freelance translators, students, universities, professional associations, etc.)


ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΩ ΠΟΛΥ!

2009 DGT Master Presentation

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Transcript of 2009 DGT Master Presentation