Maltese interpreters accredited with EU institutions have a vital role to play in the upcoming Malta 2017 presidency. But are there enough interpreters to render this service?

To meet the demand in language services following the recognition by the EU of Maltese as an official language, several steps have been taken at national level.

In 2003, the Faculty of Arts of the University of Malta launched a postgraduate programme focusing on Translation and Interpreting Studies, while in September 2007, the Department of Translation and Interpreting Studies was set up.

There are now two full-time postgraduate courses leading to a Master of Arts in Translation or a Master of Arts in Interpreting Studies.

Interpreters oil the wheels of the EU machine, ensuring that people from all 28 member states can communicate effectively with one another. Interpreting is not an easy skill to master and requires specialised training. It is in this context that Maltese interpreters accredited with EU institutions will have a critical role to play in the upcoming Malta presidency in 2017.

I believe that on this issue, the Secretariat for EU Presidency 2017 and the University’s Department of Translation, Terminology and Interpreting Studies should together outline a plan to train and recruit more Maltese interpreters for the smooth running of the interpreting services for this historic period. There are also other issues which need to be addressed. A local newspaper recently reported that the European Commission has started infringement proceedings against Malta over its failure to introduce new rights for alleged criminals.

According to Brussels, Malta had until last October to introduce free interpretation and translation services to non-Maltese speakers accused of crime. However, the government has not implemented the relevant EU directive, endorsed over three years ago and, while stating that it is actively working on the issue, has not set a date for interpretation and translation services to be offered.

The University’s Department of Translation and Interpreting Studies is in constant touch with Directorate-General for Interpretation (SCIC) Interpreting Services and the Directorate-General for Translation in Brussels, but this is not enough: a policy strategy from local authorities should also be envisaged.