Das „Translating Europe Forum“ ist die jährliche Leitkonferenz der Generaldirektion Übersetzung der Europäischen Union. Die Veranstaltung findet vom 11. bis 13. November 2026 vor Ort in Brüssel und online statt.
Unter dem Motto „Language professionals matter: Adding value in a changing industry“ befasst sich die Konferenz dieses Jahr mit der Rolle der Übersetzer, die einen nicht durch KI ersetzbaren Mehrwert im Übersetzungsprozess beisteuern.
Die Plattform für den Dialog zwischen den EU-Institutionen und der Übersetzungsbranche bringt alljährlich freiberufliche Übersetzer, Sprachdienstleister, Dozenten und Studenten zusammen, um die Gegenwart und Zukunft der Branche zu beleuchten.
Die Teilnahme ist kostenlos – sowohl vor Ort als auch online. Konferenzsprache ist Englisch.
Zwar sind alle Sitzplätze im Brüsseler Konferenzsaal bereits vergeben, aber die Online-Teilnahme steht weiterhin jedermann offen. Anmeldeschluss ist der 8. November 2026.
Programmpunkte
Mittwoch
Opening speech
Ildikó HORVÁTH, Deputy Director-General (DG Translation)
Session 1: The unique value of language professionals in shaping inclusive language policies
John Bosco CONAMA (Centre for Deaf Studies, Trinity College Dublin)
Session 2: Why language professionals matter
What makes language professionals still necessary? Where do they make the difference? What do machines do better than humans?
Panel chair: Hilde MOL-LUKKEZEN (Exito Translations), Manjinder THIND (language professional), Sabien HANOULLE (University of Antwerp), Giulia TARDITI (localisation professional), Ottavia CALAMITA (DG Translation)
Session 3: What the European Master’s in Translation (EMT) has to offer. The new EMT competence framework, upskilling and more.
What is the new EMT competence framework? What has changed? Does it meet industry needs? What about upskilling and soft skills?
Host: Nikola KUNTE (DG Translation), Nike POKORN (University of Ljubljana), Leena SALMI (University of Turku), Joss MOORKENS (Dublin City University), Lucio BAGNULO (Amnesty International)
Awards for the ‘Present your thesis in 3 minutes’ contest.
Presented by Christos ELLINIDES (Director-General, DG Translation).
Donnerstag
Session 4: Hybridisation: bringing skills from the other side of the fence (TEF Talk)
What happens when copywriting is brought into the world of translation? This TEF Talk explores transcreation as a concrete example of a hybrid practice that combines translation and copywriting skills.
Claudia BENETELLO (Dropinka).
Session 5: Academia and industry co-designing job-ready talent (Panel discussion)
Language professionals matter because decisions about meaning and tone determine how messages are understood and acted upon – and that responsibility cannot be outsourced to tools alone. This panel will discuss how universities and language companies can work together to provide relevant training.
Panel chair: Oleksandr BONDARENKO (Translatel Ltd); Rudy LOOCK (University of Lille), Alexandra KRAUSE (University of Vienna), Claudio CHIAVETTA (Wordly), Jorn WENSINK (freelance translator).
Session 6: Who is responsible? Where do AI systems stop and humans come in? (Interview)
What can freelance language professionals bring to their customers in this era of AI? What do they contribute in terms of accountability and reliability?
Host: Diego CRESCERI (Creative Words), Carlos LA ORDEN TOVAR (freelance translator), Anna FELLET (localisation professional).
Session 7: Clarity, accuracy and trust in a climate of misinformation (Clear language)
TEF Talk: How does drafting in clear language enable us to avoid misinformation, decode disinformation and enhance the credibility of the information we provide? How does it support the rule of law and equality?
Shirin WHEELER (European Investment Bank)
Panel discussion: How can drafters, authors and translators help to achieve clarity, balance and factual accuracy in the communication and publication process? Our panellists will discuss examples of disinformation in areas ranging from humanitarian aid to social media.
Moderator: Hannah O’BRIEN-MØLLER (DG Translation), Víctor RICO RECHE (DG European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations), Eileen COUGHLAN (DG Communication), Aiga VECKALNE (translator and philologist)
Session 8: How to stand out in the language industry. Why do we want to stand out, and how can we make sure we do? (TEF Talk)
In a world where “high quality” and even advanced technology are increasingly taken for granted, how can language professionals and services still stand out? This TEF Talk explores what it means to be visible, relevant and in demand in today’s language industry, providing practical, actionable advice.
Robert MARTIN (Magic Beans Agency)
Session 9: Beyond ‘translation’ – broadening the scope of career paths for language professionals (Ask the expert)
What career paths are open to language professionals, other than translation? Find out about avenues such as prompt engineering and data management.
Host: Miha ŽLIČAR (DG Translation), Orsolya MÉSZÁROS (DG Translation), Maria RZEWUSKA-WALIGÓRA (DG Translation), Marcelo MATOSO (content & communication professional), Marta NIETO CAYUELA (localisation & quality strategy leader)
Session 10: AI in practice: Making the most of DG Translation’s AI tools
Hear how public administrations, small and medium-sized enterprises, and freelancers in the language field are using DG Translation’s AI tools to increase efficiency.
Host: Tama MOISER (DG Translation), Mats PELLBÄCK SCHARP (W Social), Andreea-Maria SĂRMAȘIU (Babeș-Bolyai University)
Freitag
Session 11: What buyers want (TEF Talk)
Change is accelerating across the language industry: faster delivery cycles, rising expectations, shifting roles. How can we find new ways of working together?
Carola HAHN-AUER (ZEISS Medical Technology)
Session 12: Multilingual innovation in public services (Interview)
How are language services in public institutions all over the world adopting AI and upskilling their staff?
Host: Artur QUEIROZ (DG Translation), David ORREGO-CARMONA (Warwick University), Prof. July DE WILDE (Ghent University), Osama ABDEL-HAMEED ALY (World Bank)
Session 13: Better AI for Europe – towards EU-oriented evaluation of language understanding in LLMs (Panel discussion)
Hear about DG Translation’s project to define criteria for datasets that test the performance of LLMs on EU languages, cultures and topics. Almost 250 European Master’s in Translation students have been involved in the project, charting new paths for language professionals in AI.
Panel chair: Cristian BRAŞOVEANU (DG Translation), Susana VALDEZ (Leiden University), Pilar SÁNCHEZ GIJÓN (Autonomous University of Barcelona), Sofía CALVO DEL BARRIO (multilingual communication expert), Florence BELLEMONT (Leiden University)
Session 14: From humans v AI to humans shaping AI (Interview)
How do language professionals play a critical role in the growing European multilingual AI ecosystem? How can humans work best with AI: human in the loop, or human at the core?
Host: Tama MOISER (DG Translation), Balázs KIS (UMN Content Agency), Cristian BRAŞOVEANU (DG Translation)
Closing remarks
Christos ELLINIDES (Director-General, DG Translation)
Veranstaltungsdaten
- Translating Europe Forum
11.-13. November 2026
Weiterführender Link
Richard Schneider