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The Tinguely Machine

In: The Decline and Fall of Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco M. Bongiovanni

Abstract

Europe’s motto ‘In varietate Concordia’ (united in diversity) is an understatement in terms of diversity and an overstatement in terms of unity. From the time the European Community for Coal and Steel (ECCS) was established in 1952, the founding countries disagreed on which city would receive European organizations, and the situation didn’t improve when the European Economic Community (EEC) was founded in 1957. Consequently, European institutions were spread among three cities, Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, with Brussels hosting most due to its good infrastructure and neutral position. There is no official capital, because the EU is not a state. But one thing the EU doesn’t lack is languages. Hordes of people are employed in translating into the 23 official languages of the Union the tons of documents, papers and speeches generated daily by the EU bureaucracy. The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation is the world’s largest such service, with over 1650 linguists and almost 600 support staff, half located in Brussels and the other half in Luxembourg. The budget for this work hovers at around 1 billion euros per year since the documentation pertaining to the minutest regulation or official paper has to be translated into all 23 languages.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco M. Bongiovanni, 2012. "The Tinguely Machine," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: The Decline and Fall of Europe, chapter 0, pages 105-120, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palchp:978-1-137-00906-7_6
    DOI: 10.1057/9781137009067_6
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