4.11.1. Institutional and legislative changes

 

In 2021, some EU+ countries underwent internal reorganisation which impacted the provision of interpretation services. For example, the Federal Agency for Reception and Support Services in Austria, which began operations in December 2020, started to provide translation and interpretation services related to its own work.962 In parallel, the Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Administrative Court kept their own respective databases and tools. The Finnish Immigration Service was restructured at the end of 2020, so the Legal Services Unit became responsible for assessing interpretation services.
 

In Germany, a new coalition agreement between the Social Democrat Party SPD, the Green Party and the Liberal Party FDP sets out to closely monitor the use of interpreters for LGBTIQ applicants for international protection in order to eradicate discrimination.963
 

Due to the situation at the border with Belarus, Lithuania introduced several amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens in August 2021. In the event of a declaration of martial law, a state of emergency or an emergency due to a mass influx of foreigners, Article 71 states that some rights provided to asylum applicants, including interpretation, may be temporarily and proportionally restricted.964 International and civil society organisations expressed concerns over these rules (see Section 4.10). This article was repealed on 1 January 2022. 
 

In June 2021, Norway introduced the Interpretation Act965 which came into force on 1 January 2022. The act requires that public agencies use certified interpreters to improve quality and ensure trust in the process.