EU Translation Services

In this chapter you will read about translation services that EU provides to ensure understanding across the EU. You will check your understanding by answering yes/no questions which follow the text.

Translation and the European Union

The EU policy of communicating in 23 official languages (multilingualism policy) is unique in the world. All official languages enjoy equal status. EU citizens in the 27 member countries can use any of them to communicate with the European institutions, which helps to make the Union more open and more effective.

Translation services

A multilingual organisation like the EU needs high quality translation and relies on professional linguists to keep it running smoothly. The role of the language services in the various EU institutions and bodies is to support and strengthen multilingual communication in Europe and to help Europeans understand EU policies.

The Directorate-General for Translation (DG Translation) is the in-house translation service of the European Commission. The DG Translation works in all the official languages of the European Union and, as new countries join, their main languages are added to the number.

Other EU institutions and bodies (Council, Parliament, Court of Justice, Economic and Social Committee, Court of Auditors etc.) have their own translation departments, whereas the various agencies, spread around the EU, have a translation centre in Luxembourg to handle their translation work.

Yes/No Questions
Check your understanding of the text on the following questions.


Do all languages spoken in the EU enjoy equal status?

Ano Ne


Is it possible to communicate with EU institutions in any of the 23 official EU languages?

Ano Ne


Do the language services in the various EU institutions and bodies help Europeans understand each others' languages?

Ano Ne


Does the EU Parliament have its own translation department?

Ano Ne
Ikona iDevice Now you know
  • that there is an EU language policy in place
  • how many official EU languages there are
  • what some of the roles of EU language services are
  • that the European Commission has its own in-house translation service
  • that there are translation departments of other EU institutions
  • that there is a translation centre working with EU agencies