Mr Jean-Pierre ALLAIN
President
AIIC
10 avenue de Sécheron
CH-1202 GENEVA

06.XI.2002

Dear Mr Allain,

At the request of the Interpreters' Delegation of the European Parliament, I today met Mr Michel Lesseigne, Vice-President of the AIIC, and Mr Stéphane Grosjean. Following this meeting, which I consider to have been both helpful and informative, I should like to reiterate, more formally, the assurances the Secretary-General and I gave concerning the extraordinary debate which will take place in Parliament on 19 November with representatives from the applicant countries.

This debate is of major political importance for the European Parliament and for the enlargement process as a whole. It also provides an opportunity to demonstrate to the applicant countries our readiness to embrace their cultural and linguistic diversity and to treat their representatives as equals. It is in this context that I am asking Parliament's interpreters to cooperate with us in making it a success. I acknowledge that the technical solution chosen - remote interpreting - is not yet fully fledged but the Administration considers that it presents fewer risks than the other options available. The Secretary-General and I accept responsibility for this choice.

It is clear that for remote interpreting to be introduced as a working method in the European Parliament, the prior agreement of the interpreters is absolutely essential as are appropriate consultations with your organisation.

A further prerequisite is the organisation of thorough, systematic tests. I have asked the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to ensure that, in agreement with interpreters' representatives, an appropriate timetable is drawn up, together with a test protocol covering all the relevant medical and technical aspects.

Finally, I would again confirm the Secretary-General's assurances that the event on 19 November - exceptional in every sense of the word – will not constitute a precedent with regard to the system of interpreting to be used, and I assure you that I fully recognise the special effort being asked of your members.

Yours sincerely,

Pat Cox
President of the European Parliament