Due to COVID 19 circumstances, tests had to be put on hold. The EU institutions have now re-started accreditation tests in an adapted format for candidates already selected in the 2019-2020 test round. The calendar on the new test cycle will be adopted as soon as the planning and reorganization of the present cycle have been completed. In the meantime applications remain open.
Informative message
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a temporary change to certain organisational arrangements of accreditation tests. Candidates are therefore advised to read CAREFULLY the information they receive directly from the Institutions. Such instructions prevail over the information given on this website.
Informative message
Update Albanian Accreditation Test
Due to the recent evolution of the coronavirus COVID-19 in Europe, the EU Institutions have decided to put on hold the SQ accreditation test foreseen to take place on 2-4/09/2020 in Brussels. We kindly ask candidates NOT to plan their travel arrangements. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep candidates informed once the situation is clarified.
Informative message
Upcoming Russian Accreditation Test
The accreditation test has been rescheduled. Selected candidates have been contacted directly with all relevant details.
The European Parliament, the European Commission and the Court of Justice of the European Union each have an interpretation service, but the selection of freelance interpreters is carried out jointly.
Freelance interpreters routinely work alongside staff interpreters in the interpreting services of the European Parliament, European Commission and Court of Justice. We mainly work in the 24 official languages of the EU but all languages are considered; for freelance interpreters, there is no nationality requirement.
To become a freelance interpreter, you need to pass an accreditation test. You will find all relevant information on the various steps of the test cycle here. The calendar will show you upcoming accreditation tests for your language.
1. Eligibility
You need one of the following:
BA in Conference Interpretation (4 years) or
MA in Conference Interpretation or
BA in any subject and
a Post-graduate diploma in Conference Interpretation of at least one academic year of full-time study
or
at least one year of professional experience as a conference interpreter at the level required for international meetings (experience as a court interpreter, liaison interpreter, public service interpreter or company interpreter does not count).
2. Language Profiles & Calendar
Check the current language profiles required by the EU interpreting services. These are subject to change, to reflect prevailing recruitment needs.
Tests are scheduled as necessary, according to the recruitment needs of the institutions. An indicative calendar of pre-selection and accreditation tests is published every year but may be subject to change. Make sure you provide all necessary documents by the given deadline for applications.
3. Pre-Selection Test
If your application is considered eligible by an inter-institutional Screening Committee and complies with our language profile requirements, you will be invited to do an online pre-selection test.
The test consists of a simultaneous interpretation of a speech of approximately 10-12 minutes into your A language. The Screening Committee chooses the passive language for your test from among the following: DE, EN, ES, FR or IT.
You can take the test once you receive the email invitation, as long as you are within the deadline (i.e. testing window). You can do the test wherever you like, as long as your device meets all the technical requirements. However, we recommend you take the test in a quiet place to ensure the best possible sound quality. This is why it is important that you carefully study our pre-selection test tool user guide.
You will receive your test results from the European Parliament test team once the evaluation period is completed.
4. Accreditation Test
If successful in the pre-selection test, you may be invited to take the accreditation test, subject to our testing capacity and service needs.
The accreditation test involves the following for each of the tested languages:
Consecutive interpretation of a speech (± 6 minutes)
Simultaneous interpretation of a speech (10-12 minutes)
You will be tested from your passive languages into your active language and/or retour according to the languages chosen from your profile by the Screening Committee and service needs.
At least one of the speeches is on an EU-related topic; video recorded speeches may be used for the simultaneous tests.
You will be given 5-minute preparation time before the simultaneous speech of the first language. You will be called in to the booth and you will listen to the title of the speech and the short introduction of the speaker. Then before the actual test begins, you will have maximum 5 minutes to prepare. You can decide how to make use of them and may start earlier if you wish. You will have access to a fixed computer with QWERTY keyboard, which you will find in the booth. In case of any unexpected technical problem you should immediately inform the Selection Board.
The accreditation test takes place in Brussels. Have a look at the calendar for your language.
The Selection Board will evaluate your performances on the basis of the marking criteria; it will let you know the result after the test, which will be confirmed in writing later.
If you have been invited to take the accreditation test, read our top tips.
5. Entry into joint database
Successful candidates who pass the accreditation test are put into the joint database of accredited Conference Interpreting Agents (ACIs) and can be recruited by the three interpretation services of the European Union.
Admission into the joint database does not imply a right to be recruited.
degrees and/or diplomas giving details of marks obtained for each interpreting component;
where relevant, proof of sufficient conference interpreting experience (experience as a court interpreter, liaison interpreter, public service interpreter or company interpreter will not be taken into account);
for languages not covered by the degree(s) or diploma(s), evidence of how the language knowledge was acquired should be submitted (such as certificates or a personal statement).
Once you have done this, you will be sent an acknowledgement of receipt.
You can apply at any time but we advise you to check specific deadlines per A language on the indicative test calendar. It is important that you submit all necessary documents by the given deadline for applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
EU staff interpreters are recruited through competitions. The EU Careers website (EPSO) will provide you with further information on open competitions.
More information is available from EU Careers (EPSO), as well as the three translation departments of the EU.
You must prove your experience as a conference interpreter in both simultaneous and consecutive interpreting at the level required for international meetings.
Acceptable proof of experience includes:
Photocopies of contracts
Statements from your employers specifying the number of days and types of conferences (indicating the number of days worked in consecutive and/or simultaneous mode)
Letters of reference specifying the number of days and nature of duties
Photocopies of invoices with a clear description of the type of work (in exceptional circumstances)
Experience as a court interpreter, liaison interpreter, public service interpreter or company interpreter does not count as experience in conference interpreting. Professional experience only stated on a CV is not sufficient. In addition, all necessary supporting documents should be in your file by the time of the screening (see calendar)
Interpreters with Serbian, Bosnian and Montenegrin A languages will only be granted inter-institutional accreditation on the basis of an inter-institutional test.
The status of interpreters already on the list will stay the same. Any change to active or passive languages will be made in line with current procedures. Recognition of Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian and Montenegrin as additional C languages may be considered on a case-by-case basis with evidence provided the candidate already has one of these languages as C in their combination. If you have any questions about this email us.
No. If you have already applied, you can change your A language by emailing us. However, you can only be registered with one A language.
A Screening Committee will assess your application and determine whether your documents are adequate. You can edit or upload documents to your profile at any time on your application.
It is your responsibility to ensure:
the quality of the uploaded file
your language combination is mentioned on an official document (if not mentioned on the diploma, we advise you to include a diploma supplement)
marks for your interpretation exam are specified on your diploma (if not, provide them on an additional sheet)
your knowledge and level of languages which are not covered by a diploma are duly documented (e.g. certificates or personal statements).
If you have yet to receive your final diploma in conference interpreting, you must upload an official certificate from your university stating that you have passed the final interpretation exams. If you pass the accreditation test, you will not be accredited until you submit a copy of your final diploma.
All necessary supporting documents must be submitted by the deadline. If, due to administrative reasons, you are missing a certificate of completion of your studies (or exams), you must upload a certificate of enrolment, or proof that you are currently finishing your degree, otherwise your file will not be taken into account for the applicable test cycle.
The pre-selection test is part of the selection process and is administered by the European Parliament’s test team via a web-based pre-selection tool; it involves simultaneous interpretation of a pre-recorded video speech (10- 12 minutes) into your A language. You will be invited to a pre-selection test if:
your application is considered eligible and complies with our language profile requirements
you have never taken an accreditation test
you have not taken an accreditation test during the last three test years
If you have sat a pre-selection or accreditation test in an A language that is different from your current application you will be asked to sit another pre-selection test in your new A language.
You will be informed of the passive language from which you will be tested 10 days before the testing window.
Candidates invited to the pre-selection test are emailed by the European Parliament soon after the selection of candidates takes place. Please ensure that the address 'LINC.pst@europarl.europa.eu' is not treated as spam.
It is your responsibility to check your email account regularly for important notifications.
If you pass the pre-selection test, you will be eligible to sit the full accreditation test in Brussels. The language tested in the pre-selection phase will be tested again, along with your other languages, in both consecutive and simultaneous modes.
However, passing pre-selection does not guarantee an invitation to the accreditation tests. Depending on available testing slots, you will be invited to sit an accreditation test.
If you are not invited to the accreditation tests for your A language in the on-going test cycle, your application will be kept on file with a view to being reconsidered in the next cycle.
The results of your pre-selection test will stay valid for a period of three accreditation test years (usually starting in September), irrespective of whether a language was tested in a given year or not.
Candidates may submit a request for review related to the pre-selection test by sending an e-mail to the functional mailbox linc.pst@europarl.europa.eu. Requests should be motivated and must be sent within three working days from the date when the letter informing of the outcome of the pre-selection test is sent to them by e-mail.
As a general rule, any information on your application for an accreditation test will be sent to your online account by the Inter-institutional Test Office of the European Commission. Make sure you check it regularly.
It is your responsibility to check also your e-mail account for important notifications – ensure that the address 'csi-tests@ec.europa.eu' is not treated as spam.
For A languages which are official languages of the EU, candidates may be tested in pairs. Two candidates are invited at the same time and both candidates will be given the same consecutive and simultaneous speeches for each passive language in quick succession. Deliberations will take place at the end of each round. It is current practice to test all the languages on your application that match the published accreditation profile.
Different arrangements may apply to tests for non-EU languages.
The Screening Committee decides which languages will be tested, selecting them from the languages that you declared in your application. This choice cannot be modified. Please note that, for organisational reasons, the order of the language tests is fixed.
In the test room you will find a notepad and pencils, but you may certainly bring your own.
For tests taking place in European Commission premises, you may use your own headset, provided it can be plugged into the interpreting console in the booth.
For tests taking place in European Parliament premises, you are required to use the headset provided.
Personal electronic devices (mobile phones, tablets, laptops, etc.) and personal belongings are not permitted in the test room and must be stored in the lockers provided.
Please declare your disability using the form provided on the online application, including any need for special assistance or equipment for either the consecutive or the simultaneous test.
Every effort will be made to make arrangements for you to be tested in the best possible conditions, while maintaining parity between candidates.
Selection Boards are made up of senior interpreters from the three interpreting services of the EU Institutions (European Commission, European Parliament and Court of Justice of the European Union). Depending on the language combination tested, there might be other interpreters present as assessors to assist the Selection Board in its evaluation.
Candidates may submit a request for review via the form provided in the online account. Requests should be motivated and must be sent within 10 calendar days from (and including) the date when the letter informing of the decision of the Screening Committee, or confirming the test results, is sent to them online.
Yes, you may re-apply for a test. In principle, you may take the test up to three times. However please be aware that there is no entitlement to three attempts to sit the test. It is for the Screening Committee to decide who to invite to a test. The decision is based, amongst other things, on practical constraints, such as the number of test slots, changing needs and the priorities established by the institutions for each language. You will not be asked to sit a pre-selection test again provided you passed it in the same A language in the past three years.
If you pass all the interpreting components of your test and have fulfilled all administrative conditions, you will be added to the list of ACI interpreters accredited to the European Institutions. Accredited ACIs are offered contracts according to the needs of each Institution. Please note that inclusion on the list of accredited interpreters is no guarantee of recruitment.
No. Recruitment to a permanent staff post is only possible via competitions.
The European Institutions offer many resources to practise interpreting: