Freelance Interpreters

The Interpretation Directorate

The Interpretation Directorate has 70 staff interpreters working into 22 of the 24 official EU languages. The two exceptions are Maltese and Irish. Given the wide range of languages and the relatively small team, the Directorate often calls upon the services of accredited freelance colleagues.

The Court regularly uses a pool of around 400 freelance interpreters. Freelancers may be hired for a variety of reasons, including

• covering language combinations not provided by staff (to directly interpret each of the 24 official EU languages into all of the others results in 552 possible language combinations)
• interpreting into Maltese or Irish
• interpreting into non-EU languages
• providing reinforcements when necessary

Working at the Court

The administrative distinction between freelance and staff interpreters is irrelevant in the booth. Simultaneous interpreting requires teamwork; interpreters rotate every 15 minutes to maintain concentration and ensure high-quality delivery. In the booth, all interpreters are colleagues working towards the same goal: accurate, professional communication.

Interpreting Court hearings is specialised and must respect the confidential nature of Court proceedings. As a result, freelance colleagues assigned to Court hearings are given one or more paid preparation days in addition to contracts for days in the booth. Preparation takes place on site, in dedicated offices, to ensure sensitive documents do not leave the building, while also allowing staff to be on hand to help with any questions freelancers may have.

This approach contributes to the Court’s strong reputation as a welcoming and collaborative workplace. Workspace and time to prepare are not universal standards across the profession of conference interpreter.

How to work for the Court as a freelance interpreter

To work for the Court as a freelance interpreter (ACI), the essential requirement is to have passed the interinstitutional accreditation test. The eligibility criteria for this test are available on the Interpreting for Europe website. In general, candidates must have either a university qualification in conference interpreting or at least 100 days of qualifying experience before applying.

The ACI list is centrally maintained and updated after each round of tests, meaning newly accredited interpreters are automatically visible to the Court when recruitment needs arise. There is no need to have a law degree or legal experience. Legal knowledge or qualifications can be helpful, but are not required.

Freelance interpreters who are not yet accredited can apply for paid traineeships at the Court. The Directorate offers up to nine traineeships a year. Each traineeship lasts between 8 and 12 weeks, with mentoring by experienced staff interpreters. Although traineeships run throughout the year, there is only one annual application window, which closes on 15 September.

For more information on how to apply for the interpretation traineeship, see our page on traineeships. You can submit your application through the Commission’s EU CV Online portal.