The number of Maltese full-time translators in the European institutions is still very low and a recent call for recruitment produced only seven successful Maltese candidates.

As a result of Malta's EU membership negotiations, the Maltese language is now an official EU language. This means that all EU documentation should start being translated and published in Maltese. However, due to a serious lack of professional Maltese translators, this has not been possible for the time being and a transitional period of three years was agreed to between the EU and Malta.

Ludovicus De Prins, head of department at the Directorate General for Translation of the European Commission, based in Luxemburg, told The Times that for the time being, only regulations adopted jointly by the European Parliament and the Council (co-decision acts) have to be translated into Maltese.

He added that the EU institutions are not obliged to draft all acts in Maltese for a period of three years beginning on May 1, 2004. In this context, Mr De Prins said that the directorate at the moment is not experiencing any particular difficulties in meeting the Commission's present needs.

The situation is bound to change dramatically from May 2007 when the transition period ends and Maltese will start being used as a fully fledged translation language. Mr De Prins said the number of in-house Maltese translators required in order to allow the Commission to meet its full requirements after the transitional period is estimated at 60.

Asked how may will be needed during the transitional period and whether these are available at present he said that the exact number of in-house translators needed during the transitional period is difficult to establish as this will largely depend on the political (and corresponding legislative) activity of the new Commission.

He explained that, as a result, strong fluctuations in translation demand will have to be allowed for. To this effect, any deficit in in-house translation capacity for Maltese will be made up by increased outsourcing while any capacity in excess of the needs for the translation of co-decision documents will be used in accordance with the priorities set by the Maltese government.

At present 10 Maltese translators are working at the Commission full-time and two other translators are working in a field office in Valletta. Two additional translators are being recruited.

A public call for recruitment of full-time Maltese translators issued last year did not have the desired effect. Although 94 applications were received and 37 candidates passed the pre-selection tests only seven reached the final stage and were selected.

Mr De Prins said that in the coming weeks, the European Commission will try to recruit a number of translators under different types of contract (temporary agent, contractual agent, auxiliary agent) to gradually build up sufficient translation capacity into Maltese. At the same time efforts are being made at the University of Malta to have specialised courses for Maltese translators.

Joseph Eynaud, deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts, recently told The Times that last October the university started offering a part-time two year evening course leading to a Master's in translation and interpretation at the Faculty of Arts. One hundred and forty started the course but only 50 will continue their second year. The majority will become translators.

Prof. Eynaud said the university had also tapped EU funding for this purpose. The EU also agreed also to fund two local experts to start compiling a database of Maltese terminology to be used in translations.

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