DANISH ASSOCIATION
OF
STATE-AUTHORISED TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS
CODE OF ETHICS
GENERAL PROVISIONS
1
An authorised translator must serve his/her clients in the best possible
way, in observance of the law and good authorised translator practice.
2
(1) An
authorised translator must in his/her work and behaviour act objectively and
diligently so as to inspire trust in and respect for his/her work.
(2) An authorised translator must
constantly update and develop his/her linguistic and professional skills and
expertise so as to be able to perform his/her work in line with contemporary
requirements.
3
An authorised translator may not undertake a workload so heavy that it
prevents him/her from maintaining a high professional standard.
4
An authorised translator may not profit, financially or otherwise, from
information obtained in the course of his/her work.
INDEPENDENCE
5
When translating or interpreting for a public authority or others, an
Authorised Translator should not, except in exceptional circumstances, accept
work from an individual or a commercial undertaking involved in the same matter.
PROFESSIONAL SECRECY
6
(1) An
authorised translator must keep secret all matters divulged to him/her in the
course of his/her work.
(2) This duty of professional secrecy
does not apply where an authorised translator is under a legal obligation to
express an opinion.
(3) If an authorised translator
ceases to work for a client, the authorised translator is entitled to inform
his/her successor of his/her grounds for doing so.
FEES
7
(1) An
authorised translator must perform his/her work in a conscientious and highly
professional manner, which should be reflected, together with the professional
responsibility and liability of an authorised translator, in the determination
of the fee.
(2) An authorised translator may not
attempt to obtain work or compete with a colleague by offering to perform work
for a smaller fee than that usually charged in the profession.
(3) An authorised translator may not
perform any work free of charge or for an unreasonably low fee, unless this is
idealistically motivated.
QUOTATIONS
8
(1) An
authorised translator may not make a fixed quotation for translation services
unless he/she has seen all the material to be translated, edited, etc. Fixed
quotations must be made in writing and must specify clearly both the nature and
extent of the work to be performed.
(2) Quotations must include an
explicit provision stating that services not specified in the quotation will be
charged at current rates.
MARKETING
9
(1) All
advertising and promotion of an authorised translator's business and work must
be professional and objective.
(2) A translation business may not
promote its services in languages in which the translator(s) concerned are not
authorised.
(3) Members of the Association may
indicate their membership of the Association in their advertising and promotion
activities.
RELATIONS WITH FELLOW TRANSLATORS
10
The conduct stipulated in this Code of Ethics for the relations between
members of the Association should also be applied in relations with authorised
translators who are not members of the Association, where this is not in
contravention of any other provision of this Code.
11
An authorised translator may accept work from a client who was previously
the client of another member of the Association provided that he/she does not
take the initiative in obtaining the work.
12
(1) Work
which an authorised translator is unable to perform should be performed by
another authorised translator, if possible.
(2) An authorised translator may not
subcontract the work to another authorised translator without having obtained
the client’s consent, where this is practically possible.
(3) If a client requests that the
work should be performed by a specific authorised translator, then that
authorised translator may not subcontract the work without the consent of the
client.
13
(1) An
authorised translator must be objective and professional in any comments on the
work of another authorised translator.
(2) An authorised translator may not
criticise the work of another authorised translator without first having
contacted him/her with a view to avoiding misunderstandings.
14
(1) Members
of the Association must always first attempt to resolve any disputes among
themselves by direct contact between the opposing parties.
(2) No member may lodge a complaint
about another member with another association or body in a professional matter
without first submitting the complaint to the Executive Committee of the
Association.
(3) Members must endeavour to resolve
any dispute of a professional nature or any matter related to the Association
within the framework of the Association.
(4) A member intending to complain of
another member's violation of the Rules of the Association or its Code of Ethics
must submit his/her complaint to the Executive Committee in writing, and send a
copy to the member who is the subject of the complaint.
(5) If the Ethics Committee fails to
resolve the dispute, the matter may be brought before an arbitration panel made
up of three individuals who may or may not be members of the Association,
provided the parties to the dispute agree to do so. Each of the parties will
then appoint one member, who may not be a member of the Executive Committee. The
member appointed by the Executive Committee must be the presiding arbitrator.
(6) In its award the arbitration
panel will decide who will bear the costs of the arbitration proceedings.
(7) The decisions of the arbitration
panel are binding on all parties concerned.
Adopted by the Statutory General Meeting on 11 and 15 January 1990.
Amended by the first Annual General Meeting on 9
March 1990 and by the General Meeting on 1 April 1994.