ETC Europe places great importance on the correct, lawful and fair handling of all personal data, respecting the legal rights, privacy, and trust of all individuals with whom it deals. As a trusted partner for EU translation services, multilingual communication, and document processing for European institutions, international organisations, and NGOs, we are committed to full transparency regarding how we handle your data.
Our Commitment to GDPR Compliance
The GDPR gives more rights to individuals and more obligations to us when we process your personal data. We are continuously working towards comprehensive compliance across all areas where we process personal data, including in the context of multilingual projects, tenders, and institutional mandates.
We are actively reviewing and updating our internal processes, contractual frameworks, and technical safeguards to ensure that our practices meet the highest standards required under EU data protection law.
What Personal Data We Process
In the course of its business, ETC Europe processes personal data relating to the following categories of individuals:
- Clients — including contact details, project briefs, and procurement information related to tenders and institutional contracts.
- Employees and freelance translators — including professional credentials, contact information, and assignment records.
- Suppliers and subcontractors — including company representatives and service agreements.
- Document content — personal data that may be contained within documents submitted for EU translation or multilingual processing.
Handling Personal Data in Translation Documents
Documents submitted for translation present a particular challenge in terms of data protection and compliance. The content of such documents may include personal data — names, addresses, identification numbers, or other sensitive information — especially in the context of legal, administrative, or institutional files processed for European institutions and international bodies.
Our Standard Safeguards
We routinely treat all documents submitted for EU translation as strictly confidential. Our standard safeguards include:
- Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with all translators and subcontractors.
- Restricted access to source documents on a need-to-know basis.
- Secure file transfer protocols and encrypted communication channels.
- Internal data minimisation practices to limit unnecessary exposure of personal information.
- Regular staff training on data protection and confidentiality obligations.
International Data Transfers
In order to deliver the the highest-quality multilingual translations within competitive turnaround times, our linguists may be located outside the EEA, including in countries not deemed to provide an adequate level of data protection under the GDPR. This situation is common to all language service providers operating within the EU and is a fundamental feature of the translation industry.
We are actively working on practical and legally sound solutions to address this challenge, including the use of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and other approved transfer mechanisms, to ensure a fully GDPR-compliant framework for all translation content — particularly for institutional clients and organisations responding to organisations responding to EU calls for tenders.
Why Compliance Matters for Institutional Clients
For European institutions, international organisations, and NGOs, data protection compliance is not optional — it is a prerequisite for partnership and procurement. ETC Europe understands the specific compliance requirements that apply to institutional clients, including those tendering through EU procurement frameworks.
Our approach to GDPR compliance is designed to support you in meeting your obligations as a data controller, ensuring that your multilingual communication needs are handled with the highest levels of legal and operational rigour.
Your Rights Under GDPR
As a data subject, you benefit from a comprehensive set of rights under the GDPR. These include:
- Right of access — you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification — you may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to erasure — in certain circumstances, you may request the deletion of your personal data.
- Right to restriction of processing — you may ask us to limit how we use your data.
- Right to data portability — you may request a structured, machine-readable copy of your data.
- Right to object — you may object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
To exercise any of these rights, or to raise a concern about how your data is handled, please contact us directly. We will respond to all requests within the timeframes prescribed by applicable EU law.
Updates to This Privacy Notice
This privacy notice is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changes in legislation, operational practices, and the evolving requirements of our institutional clients and clients with multilingual needs. We encourage you to check this page periodically for the latest information on how ETC Europe protects your personal data in the context of EU translation and language services.
FAQ
Is ETC Europe GDPR-compliant for EU translation services provided to European institutions?
Yes. ETC Europe is committed to full compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation across all its EU translation and multilingual services. We continuously review and update our internal processes, contractual frameworks, and technical safeguards to meet the stringent data protection standards required by European institutions, international organisations, and NGOs. Our compliance approach is specifically designed to address the obligations that apply to institutional clients operating within EU procurement frameworks.
How does ETC Europe protect personal data contained in documents submitted for multilingual processing?
All documents submitted for EU translation or multilingual processing are treated as strictly confidential, regardless of their content. Our safeguards include non-disclosure agreements with all linguists and subcontractors, restricted access on a need-to-know basis, secure and encrypted file transfer protocols, and data minimisation practices designed to limit unnecessary exposure of personal information. These measures apply equally to legal, administrative, and institutional documents that may contain sensitive personal data.
Can ETC Europe handle translation projects related to tenders while ensuring data confidentiality?
Absolutely. ETC Europe has extensive experience supporting organisations responding to tenders and EU calls for tenders. We are fully aware of the sensitivity of procurement-related documentation and apply the same rigorous confidentiality and compliance standards to all tender-related multilingual projects. All translators and subcontractors involved in such assignments are bound by strict NDAs, and access to source documents is strictly controlled.
What measures are in place when multilingual translations involve linguists located outside the EEA?
Where EU translation assignments involve linguists based outside the European Economic Area, ETC Europe relies on approved transfer mechanisms under the GDPR, including Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), to ensure a legally sound and fully compliant framework for the transfer of personal data. This approach reflects the operational realities of the multilingual translation industry while maintaining the highest standards of compliance expected by European institutions and other institutional clients.
How can I exercise my GDPR rights in relation to data processed by ETC Europe?
You may exercise any of your rights under the GDPR — including rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, and objection — by contacting ETC Europe directly. We are committed to responding to all requests within the timeframes prescribed by applicable EU law. If you have a concern about how your personal data is handled in the context of our EU translation or multilingual services, we encourage you to reach out to us without delay.