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CEATL

Conseil Européen des Associations de Traducteurs Littéraires

Copyright

Swedish model contract for translators terminated, new strategies in the making

Swedish model contract for translators terminated, new strategies in the making

The Swedish Writers’ Union and the Swedish Publishers’ Association agreed on a collective Standard Contract for translators several decades ago. The contract has been re-negotiated a few times, but it has generally been respected and practiced in almost all cases where publishers have commissioned literary translations, whether the translator or the publisher have been members of the organizations that signed the contract or not. […]

White paper on literary translation in digital format in Spain

White paper on literary translation in digital format in Spain

The Spanish association ACE Traductores has recently published a ‘white paper’ on book translators’ rights as authors in the digital sector.

Part of the project was already presented in 2010, and now ACE Traductores has published an addendum regarding digital publishing. It compiles the results of a survey completed by translators, with a sociological interpretation and a legal analysis. This study sets the profession of translating within the digital sector frame and, in many cases, confirms the shadier aspects of translators’ working conditions. […]

PEN International’s ‘Quebec Declaration on Literary Translation and Translators’ now available in more than twenty languages

PEN International’s ‘Quebec Declaration on Literary Translation and Translators’ now available in more than twenty languages

On 15 October 2015 PEN International adopted the Quebec Declaration on Literary Translation and Translators.

The text contains a six-point summary of the principles and objectives that PEN International intends to promote in the area of literary translation. These principles include the importance of translation in promoting the dignity of all cultures and languages, the need to draw attention to the conditions required in order to engage in this activity and, above all, the importance of defending the people who make communication possible – literary translators. […]

Groundbreaking contractual agreement with independent publishers in Italy

Groundbreaking contractual agreement with independent publishers in Italy

On 3rd April 2016 a groundbreaking document was signed between ODEI (the Italian Observatory of Independent Publishers), STRADE (the Italian Union of Translators working in the publishing industry), and the SLC-CGIL (Italian Union of Communication Workers, which STRADE is joining to represent translators). These associations signed a code of practice for a fair relationship between publishers and translators. The code provides a series of guidelines: ‘Five Points for a Fair, Legal and Transparent Translation Contract’. […]

German “Authors’ and Artists’ United Declaration for Fair Contracts!” reaches 6000 signatures in two weeks

German “Authors’ and Artists’ United Declaration for Fair Contracts!” reaches 6000 signatures in two weeks

The German Initiative Urheberrecht (‘Copyright Initiative’) – a joint undertaking that so far 35 associations in the creative field have signed up to – is pleased to announce the success of its latest initiative: a petition to campaign for reforms to copyright contract law, and for stronger legal instruments to more fairly balance the relationship between authors, performing artists, publishers, distributors etc. […]

Open letter to publishers worldwide to meet the Ten principles for fair contracts

Open letter to publishers worldwide to meet the Ten principles for fair contracts

On 5 January 2016, authors from a number of countries released open letters asking publishers to reconsider the contract terms they offer authors and outlining the parts of publishing contracts where, from the author’s perspective, reform is urgently needed.

The International Authors Forum (IAF) has also established 10 Principles for Fair Contracts. These Principles apply to the needs of authors in the 65 countries represented by IAF through its 49 member organisations, who have some 500,000 individual author members between them. Fair contracts are crucial to authors’ financial survival and ability to do their job at a time when their working conditions are tougher than ever. […]

CEATL’s reaction to the Commission’s action plan “towards a modern, more European copyright framework”

CEATL’s reaction to the Commission’s action plan “towards a modern, more European copyright framework”

Brussels, 11 January 2016

As an association representing authors, CEATL has read with attention the communication and action plan for a reform of EU copyright rules published by the Commission on December 9th 2015.

* CEATL welcomes the emphasis put on the necessity to reassess the role and responsibility of internet intermediaries and platforms, as well as to fight commercial-scale copyright infringements more effectively. […]

TTIP negotiations : CEATL welcomes the European Parliament’s recommendations

TTIP negotiations : CEATL welcomes the European Parliament’s recommendations

In a press release dated 2 February 2015, CEATL sounded the alarm on the fact that the publishing industry was part of the TTIP negotiating mandate, which might pose a threat to policies of protection and promotion of the book sector, notably to fixed book prices.

CEATL therefore welcomes the recommendations to the European Commission adopted on 8 July 2015 by the European Parliament regarding the TTIP, recommending to confirm that financial support to cultural industries and fixed book price systems will not be challenged by the obligations under the TTIP agreement. […]

General Terms and Conditions for translators of books in the Netherlands

General Terms and Conditions for translators of books in the Netherlands

The Dutch Vereniging van Letterkundigen (VvL, Society of Authors) has adopted General Terms and Conditions to be used by translators of books other than those able to negotiate the already existing model contract, which is based on a gentleman’s agreement between the VvL and the Dutch Literaire Uitgeversgroep (LUG, Literary Fiction Publishers’ Group). This requires some clarification. […]

Reda report : comparative chart showing the main articles regarding the book industry

Reda report : comparative chart showing the main articles regarding the book industry

While Julia Reda called for a hasty harmonisation and the inconsiderate broadening of exceptions that would all have been made mandatory (thus endangering both the book industry and the rights of authors on their work), the European Parliament consistently calls for the respect of cultural diversity, of national circumstances and of the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity, as well as for targeted and balanced measures based on careful impact studies and taking into account the need to remunerate or compensate creators for any use of their works. […]

Press release on the vote of the amended Reda report by the European parliament

Press release on the vote of the amended Reda report by the European parliament

Following the vote of the European Parliament on the report on the implementation of Directive 2001/29/EC on copyright (also known as the “Reda report”), CEATL (European Counsil of Literary Translators’ Associations):

* welcomes the fact the European Parliament has profoundly revised the draft report initially prepared by the Pirate deputy Julia Reda, both in its spirit and in the detail of the proposed reforms (see on our website the comparative chart for the main provisions touching the book industry). In fact, the final report forcefully and repeatedly reasserts the importance of copyright as a source of economic wealth for Europe and as the tangible means of ensuring that creators are remunerated and that the creative process is funded. […]

PRESS RELEASE on the European Commission’s strategy for a Digital Single Market

PRESS RELEASE on the European Commission’s strategy for a Digital Single Market

Representing more than 10,000 literary translators in 29 European countries, CEATL (Conseil européen des associations de traducteurs littéraires) has read with interest the communication published by the European Commission on May 6th 2015 regarding its strategy for a Digital Single Market. CEATL welcomes the fact that the Commission acknowledges the economic and cultural importance of copyright and the necessity to enforce it better via an improved follow-the-money strategy against internet piracy.

CEATL would like to stress, however, that copyright as such does not have a direct bearing on the development of the Digital Single Market. On the other hand, limiting copyright, broadening exceptions and rashly harmonising nationally distinct but pragmatically meaningful copyright frameworks will risk destroying the very infrastructure that is capable of supplying future markets with digital content. […]

CEATL supports the #CopyrightforFreedom campaign

CEATL supports the #CopyrightforFreedom campaign

As part of the ongoing European debate on copyright, CEATL supports the #CopyrightforFreedom campaign launched by the Federation of European Publishers on 20 March 2015 at the Paris Book Fair.

Writing, publishing, working as a bookseller, reading books, are all founded on freedom of expression.

As it is expressed in letters that will be sent to the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union: […]

CEATL’s opinion on Julia Reda’s report

CEATL’s opinion on Julia Reda’s report

PRESS RELEASE / Brussels, 6 March, 2015

Representing 10,000 literary translators in 29 European countries, CEATL (European Council of Literary Translators’ Associations) has released a document stating its opinion on Julia Reda’s draft report on the implementation of Directive 2001/29/EC on copyright, to be examined by the European Parliament this Spring. […]

TTIP negotiations: CEATL sounds the alarm on literature and publishing not being covered by the so-called ‘cultural exception’  

TTIP negotiations: CEATL sounds the alarm on literature and publishing not being covered by the so-called ‘cultural exception’  

CEATL urges the parties responsible for the ongoing Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations between the European Union and the United States of America to pay attention to the following issues of concern to everyone with a stake in European literatures and the cultural values they constitute: […]