Certification of translated documents for EU authorities outside the EU.

Any document intended for use by an external authority needs a translation (sometimes also a certification), except when the source language of the document, e.g. French or English, is accepted as an official language by the requester.

What does it mean?

Translating and certifying documents on products and manufacturing processes etc. for marketing authorisation within a non-EU member state.

Content we translate

The bioscience industry often involves marketing authorisation for chemicals or distribution authorisation letters for these products within a non-EU member state. A legalised original text and certified translation are required to fully comply with the authorities. See the following definitions:

1. Original: original document (with administrative seals and stamps), a certified copy (also stamped and sealed) or a copy legalised by a solicitor.
2. Legalised original: original document with an apostille, or a legalising stamp from the Department of Foreign Affairs, proving the authenticity of the original document.
3. Certified translation: the text is translated, signed and stamped by a sworn translator or legal expert recognised by the Court of Appeal. This is the usual procedure in most countries, but not in the UK for example. Where translation is involved, the expert must be certified in both of those languages.
4. Legalised certified translation: certified translation followed by two additional steps, “legalising the signature” of the expert translator and “legalising the translation” in itself.
5. Legalising a signature: yet another stamp, indicating that the signature belongs to the expert. This stamp may be provided at a chamber of commerce, town hall, or by a solicitor.
6. Legalising the translation: an apostille from the courts or a legalising stamp from the Department of Foreign Affairs, depending on the destination country. The apostille is required for all signatory countries of . Other countries use a legalising stamp.

In short, the original is verified by an authority first, then translated. The translator’s signature is then verified, before legalising the translation in accordance with the destination country’s requirements.

Steps 1, 3 and 4 are obligatory. However, step 2 i.e. legalising the original before translation, is not always required.

Note that step 4b is more rigourous with the Department of Foreign Affairs than within the courts. However, there is no choice in the matter as this depends on the requesting country. To add the apostille, the courts simply verify that the translator’s signature has been legalised. They don’t ask for the original. However, the Department of Foreign Affairs usually verifies everything. This is why it is a good idea to go through step 2 and legalise the original, ensuring the Department’s approval if the translation needs to be sent to a country that isn’t a signatory of The Hague Convention.

What are the benefits of working with Agrooh?

We can offer you two pillars of expertise:

• expert knowledge on the chemical industry.
• certified/sworn translators in a wide range of languages.

We have done translations like this for Turkey in particular, but also many other EU and Middle Eastern countries.

Some of our clients in this market: Large pharmaceutical, agrochemical and animal health companies.