15 000 translators and interpreters of France are launching an SOS. Since the beginning of the health crisis, their activity is interrupted and the déconfinement was not synonymous with a recovery for them. These men and women traditionally discrete out therefore of the shadow for support of the State. Interview with Hans-Werner Mühle, president of the French branch of the Association of international conference interpreters (AIIC).
The Point : Like millions of French, the interpreters and translators who work in france have seen their activity to stop suddenly in mid-march. Where are they up to three and a half months later ?
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Hans-Werner Mühle : due To limitations of transportation and of the rules of distancing physics, the international conferences did not resume. Nationals of the United States may not travel in Europe either. The work within the european institutions takes very gently. Only 20% of the number of meetings before a crisis take place effectively and in terms of interpretation at a distance very painful. Our cash is in a situation of extreme tension. We are traditionally paid three months after our missions. We must have the means to hold.
The structure of aid to autoentrepreneurs, who foresaw a budget of € 1 500 per month, has there been put in place for your profession ?
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Yes, we were entitled to the solidarity fund of the government of march to June. And this, in function of the turnover achieved in the previous year. But not all of them. We are of the liberal professions are not regulated. We pay our own dues, including to the Urssaf. We must take on ourselves all of the risks and costs inherent in the exercise of our profession. So far, we have no right to unemployment benefits.
The risk that some of us are obliged to register in RSA is great.
What are the prospects for recovery in the short term ?
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We see nothing to take back. I learned yesterday that a major international conference, which was held in Marseille on June 12, was postponed until January 2021. Two thousand people were to be exchanged in the framework of the international Union for the protection of the environment and food. But this is to be held-does it really ? There is great uncertainty about the events of the season. It has no application and the options we had are starting to be cancelled. The risk that some of us are obliged to register in RSA is great. Yet we continue to pay our pension contributions, even if our activity is suspended. The fact that the european Parliament has not yet confirmed the holding of its September session in Strasbourg has only heightened the climate of fear.
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How do you see the coming months ? How do you plan in the new year ?
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things are very bad. We are very worried. People don’t want to travel and international meetings did not resume.
The events sector, which is also affected as yours, has been awarded aid. Do you want to see align with your articles ?
Yes, the guides, lecturers, tour guides benefit from an aid scheme. We would like to be included in this device. Our business has a lot to do with the event. If the caterers and restaurateurs who work in this sector are supported economically, why can’t we ? We ask for access to the solidarity fund until the end of the year.
We are about 1 500 conference interpreters in France, who are working in the shade.
For how many people ?
We are about 1,500 interpreters conference in France, not all members of the associations. CNA France brings together, alone, 400 of them. But, with the translators, we represent more than 15 000 people. So far, we only heard never. It is related to our code of ethics and guidelines of strict confidentiality that are the basis of our business. We work in the shade. But, given the situation, we go out of our reservation and asking for help to save our profession, without which the international trade are impossible. Dare I add that we participate in the promotion of the French language at the global level ?
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