Because of those perks, these jobs are guarded by mafia-style examiners who wouldn't allow just anyone to join their team. I know I'm as good or even better than EU's staff interpreters with all their perks. No wonder the EU budget for interpreters is so overblown. As I recently learned, even as an EU freelance interpreter you're paid 2/3 of the day's fees (plus of course your travel expenses and per diem) even if you're not needed. It's sickening that we pay for it through our taxes, while having to negotiate for every penny of our own freelance fees. However, if it's one of your lucky days and you do pass, you can expect a life of luxury. This is your moment, if we don't feel we can put you in the booth straightaway, that's it.' As I was told 'You may have interpreted for the Pope - we're not interested. No matter how qualified you are, if you are not resilient enough and immune to the examiners' tactics of distracting and unsettling the candidate, you won't pass. If you have a headache on the test day or haven't had a proper sleep because you had to travel to Brussels, or if - like me - you were left waiting for over two hours until you were exhausted for your test in spite of your appointment - tough luck. I was a qualified but less experienced interpreter who didn't pass the exam.

You also need to prove 4 years' experience as a conference interpreter. Russian is not an official language of the E.U. You do not pay taxes to your national state but to the EU, which in general is lower than in any member-stateįor the newest member-states, they seem to make an exception that you need to know two E.U.-languages :ike Bulgarian-English, Romanian-English thoroughly, but for the old member-states the A-B-C-or A-C-C combination is still valid.

If your kids go to university: a lodging allowance and a subsidy for their study material.Ī EU-license plate: used to mean that you were immune to fines from the local police, but that privilege has been abolished. If you have kids, they go to the European School=a multilingual environment.

The further you live from Brussels, the higher the allowance. Starting Salary : About 6000 euros per month net =72000 euros per annum for 11 months work + benefits such as tax-free petrol, tax-free alcohol and cigarettes.Ī living and travel allowance.

Perfectit 3 has fired an exception