Freelance interpreters routinely work alongside staff interpreters in meetings served by the interpreting services of the European Institutions. For freelances there is no nationality requirement and all languages worldwide may be considered.

Accreditation as a freelance interpreter is obtained by passing an inter-institutional interpreting test. To be eligible for such a test, you must:

• Hold a recognised university degree in conference interpreting or
• Hold a recognised university degree in any subject and a postgraduate qualification in conference interpreting or
• Hold a recognised university degree in any subject and have documented experience in consecutive and simultaneous conference interpreting.

If you think you are eligible for a test, you should complete an on-line application form and also submit copies of your CV, degrees and/or diplomas and, where relevant, proof of sufficient experience. You may apply at any time.

Once you have done this, you will be sent an acknowledgement of receipt with a reference number.

Tests are scheduled as necessary. An indicative calendar (see 2012) is set up every year, but can be subject to modifications at any time. As soon as a suitable test is planned, a selection committee will examine your application. You will then be notified that:

• your application has been accepted and that you are being invited for a test, or
• your language profile is interesting but not a priority. You will therefore not be invited to a test in the near future. However, your application will remain on file. There is no need to re-apply, or
• your language profile is not in line with our requirements. Consequently your application has not been accepted.

Please note that participation in a test is upon invitation only.

The EU institutions are particularly interested in candidates working into or from the languages of the member states which joined the EU in 2004 or thereafter, or countries currently engaged in accession negotiations. There is also a limited need for Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and other non-EU languages.

If you have Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian or Montenegrin as part of your language combination please see this note and contact SCIC-Signalaic for further information.

However, language profile requirements are subject to change and vary from one language unit to another. Consequently, all valid applications will be considered.

At the test, you will be asked to interpret speeches in both consecutive and simultaneous interpreting (around 6 minutes for consecutive and around 10 minutes for simultaneous) from your passive languages into your active language(s), in accordance with the language profile you are offering. At least one of the speeches will be on an EU-related topic. You will also be asked questions on the European Union and its institutions. On completion of the test, the panel will inform you of its decision.

If you are successful, your name and contact details will be entered into the joint EU database of accredited freelance interpreters.

If you are unsuccessful but the panel thinks you have potential, it may recommend that you re-apply for a test.

Conditions for partial reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses can be found here

Many freelance interpreters are members of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC). The AIIC negotiates working conditions for freelance interpreters with the European Institutions ( Rules for implementing certain provisions of the Agreement ) + Decision of 20 June 2001 (only FR) + Classification criteria (valid as of 01/08/2010).

E-learning "How to become an ACI" (freelance interpreter)

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Published on 29/10/2010