A - Interpretation from/to the two official languages of the Council of Europe (English and French) is provided by the Council of Europe Interpretation Department (CoE ID).

NB: Requests for additional languages may originate from any of the members or participants, or from advisers or delegation secretaries on their behalf.

 

B - If additional languages[1] are required, the four steps of the procedure are as follows:

 

  1. 10 weeks before the meeting/event if held in the Council of Europe (Strasbourg or Paris)
    OR
    12 weeks before the meeting/event if held elsewhere,
    the body bearing the cost of interpretation, hereinafter referred to as the “paying body”, fills in the relevant part of the form overleaf [Part I] and sends it to the CoE Interpretation Department (CoE ID) [email protected]
  2. CoE ID informs the “paying body” of the estimated cost [Part II]
  3. the “paying body” confirms its acceptance [Part III] and returns the form (signed and stamped) to CoE ID [email protected]:
    8 weeks at least before the meeting/event if held in the Council of Europe (Strasbourg or Paris)
    OR
    10 weeks at least before the meeting/event if held elsewhere
  4. upon receipt of the signed and stamped form, CoE ID recruits the necessary interpreters.

NB: The interpreters are paid by the Council of Europe after the meeting. An invoice is then sent to the “paying body” which should be settled promptly (and at the latest within 1 month).


Definition of terms

  1. Simultaneous interpretation is when the speaker’s language is interpreted as he/she speaks. Interpretation during official meetings is simultaneous.
    Consecutive interpretation is when the speaker gives his/her speech in segments which are interpreted each time he/she finishes speaking. This is a more time-consuming “stop-and-start” form of interpretation and is therefore only permitted for speeches at side-events, etc.
  2. A language can be delivered as an active or a passive language – the choice must be specified on the form overleaf.
    Active languages: speakers in the room can speak and hear interpretation into these languages.
    Passive languages: speakers in the room can speak in these languages, but will hear interpretation ONLY into the active languages. This is the least expensive solution.

    [1] In case of limited interpretation facilities (booths), priority will be given to requests for the Council of Europe major contributors’ languages (German, Italian, Russian).
Form

For non-official languages, a request must be submitted according to a specific procedure.

 Request for interpretation in non-official languages