See what the language industry does and how the Language Industry Expert Group helps the European Commission with translation trends, language technologies and industry developments.
Language industry
The language industry plays a vital role in connecting people, businesses and communities by providing language services for multilingual solutions. These services include:
- translation
- interpretation
- language technology
- audiovisual translation
- post-editing.
Behind these services are professionals who ensure that messages and ideas reach audiences in the right format and contain the right content. Thanks to these professionals and cutting-edge language technologies – including those behind AI – businesses and the public can access information in the languages they know best.
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation (DGT) forms part of the language industry through its translations, editing and AI-based services. It regularly consults the Language Industry Expert Group (LIND) for additional insight into the developments of this dynamic and fast-developing sector.
Topics of common interest include:
- how to address perceived skills gaps
- how AI affects language professions
- training of future professionals.
These are often discussed in cooperation with the EMT network.
Relevant LIND documents
LIND provides industry expertise not only to DGT but to the wider public in different areas, as discussed below.
ELIS market reports
In 2013, the European Union of Associations of Translation Companies (EUATC) launched the European Language Industry Survey (ELIS). Today, the ELIS is co-organised with ELIA, FIT Europe, GALA, the EMT university network, the European Commission’s LIND group, and Women in Localization. The survey covers market trends, expectations and concerns, challenges and obstacles, and changes in business practices. It is run yearly and presented in a webinar available to the public.
ELIS reports
Industry Visibility Campaign
The language professions are experiencing change and adjusting to the new era of AI. To prepare future professionals, language industry experts with support from DGT have developed a series of engaging guides aimed at students, teachers and parents. They showcase the versatility and global opportunities a career in languages has to offer.
Promotion of traineeships
Traineeships play a vital role in building solid careers for newcomers and help organisations to grow. Traineeships bridge the gap between training and professional practice while benefiting trainees and host organisations.
Offering a real-world experience to trainees involves giving them a chance to apply the skills they acquired during their studies and learn new ones while building professional networks that will open doors for them in the future.
To make it easier to find and organise traineeships, the LIND experts have joined forces with the EMT network and have prepared tools and guides for students and companies thinking of hiring trainees.
The KCTI promotes traineeships in Europe and beyond in its Careers section.