Business Management

Legal translation plays a strategic role in protecting the interests of companies and individuals on the international stage. In a world where trade, partnerships, and contractual obligations extend far beyond borders, it is essential that official documents are clear, valid, and enforceable in the language of the relevant country.

Why is Legal Translation Crucial Overseas?

Legal translation isn't just about switching words from one language to another. It requires a deep understanding of legal concepts, the legal culture of the countries involved, and their regulatory frameworks. It is not enough for a document to be understandable; it must also have the same legal effect in the target language as it does in the source language. Put simply, the translator serves as a vital link connecting two often very different legal systems. Even when a document is meant for a single legal system, getting the translation wrong can put its validity at risk. A misinterpreted clause, a poorly translated legal term, or a misunderstanding of a contractual obligation can have real consequences: disputes, partial nullity of the contract, regulatory sanctions, or even the rejection of an administrative application.

Legal translation is therefore essential, not only in an international context but also to ensure that the law is properly applied within a single jurisdiction. In the European Union, for instance, translations must maintain legal equivalence between language versions to ensure the same legal scope. In the United Kingdom, where common law prevails, any ambiguity in a translated contract can jeopardise its validity. Other jurisdictions, such as Canada or Morocco, also enforce strict rules depending on the type of document and the official language of the territory.

Which Documents Require Legal Translation?

Documents most commonly requiring legal translation include commercial contracts, company statutes, court judgments, notarised deeds (wills, powers of attorney, property deeds), as well as civil status certificates. It is also common to need translations of intellectual property documents, particularly patents filed in multiple countries.

These documents require accuracy, thoroughness, and a deep understanding of the legal systems of both languages. In some cases, a simple translation may be enough for internal understanding. However, whenever a document is intended for official use, a certified or sworn translation is essential.

Who Can Provide a Reliable Legal Translation?

In addition to practical experience, certain degrees and certifications enhance the credibility of legal translators. In the United Kingdom, for example, a Master's degree in specialised translation or in law applied to translation is highly valued. Internationally, certifications issued by professional bodies such as the ATA (American Translators Association), the CIOL (Chartered Institute of Linguists), or ISO standards also serve as markers of quality. These qualifications ensure that the translator is proficient not only in the languages but also in the legal frameworks and sector-specific terminology.

Choosing the right provider for a legal translation should not be taken lightly. In some countries, such as France and Spain, sworn translators appear in official lists, for which they must pass an official exam, and swear an oath before a judicial authority. This is not necessary in the United Kingdom and the United States, although certification is often required through a translator's declaration guaranteeing the accuracy of their work.

A translation agency specialising in legal translation can usually provide experienced professionals who are well-versed in relevant legal fields and compliant with ISO 17100 standards. To guarantee reliable results, check that your provider has the following skills:

• Proficiency in legal terminology across both languages
• Knowledge of local legal systems
• Proven experience in similar translations

Ensuring the Confidentiality of Your Legal Documents

Confidentiality goes beyond a simple moral commitment. It relies on strict procedures and technical measures, including restricted file access, encrypted communications, secure data hosting. A specialised legal translation agency will have implemented these protocols, accompanied by confidentiality agreements signed by each team member. This kind of meticulous approach is what sets a trusted partner apart from an amateur service.

It also ensures the traceability of operations and compliance with security standards, such as the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidelines in the United Kingdom or international standards. This helps protect your sensitive data from leaks or misuse.

Typical Process of a Legal Translation: Steps and Deadlines

A typical process always begins with a detailed analysis of the document and the legal context in which it applies. The client provides all the necessary information, including the purpose of the document, the relevant jurisdiction, the intended recipients, and any specific requirements (such as formatting, legal notices, or certifications). Based on this information, a specialised translator is assigned to the project.

The translation is then carried out taking into account legal equivalences, the expected writing style, and the specific requirements of the target language. This is followed by a revision phase, carried out by a second expert who checks that the translation remains true to the original, as well as ensuring terminological consistency, and the accuracy of legal references. If necessary, a final check can be performed by a lawyer or notary, particularly for documents with direct legal implications.

The file is then prepared for official delivery, with checks on layout, signatures, any required stamps, and mandatory statements. Depending on the country, the documents may need to undergo certification, legalisation, or an apostille, potentially extending delivery times. Turnaround times can range from 24 hours to several days, depending on the complexity, length, and level of certification required.

To safeguard your international projects, it's best to work with a professional translation agency in the legal field. By choosing experts in legal translation, you can be confident that your documents will be handled with precision, compliance, and discretion. This provides an important layer of protection against the legal challenges posed by cultural, linguistic, and regulatory differences between countries.

There's a lot more to a translation project than the translator's expertise. The quality of the information you provide plays a crucial role. A clear and detailed translation brief saves time, prevents misunderstandings, and ensures a result that fits your needs perfectly. The clearer your brief, the easier it will be for the translator to deliver an accurate and effective translation that fits seamlessly into your communication strategy.

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Why a translation brief is essential

The brief is like a roadmap for your translator. It helps them understand your expectations, choose the right style, and use the appropriate terminology. Without a brief, the translator has to guess your intentions... which can lead to delays, repeated corrections, or a final product that fails to reflect your brand. A good brief ensures smoother collaboration and an optimal result. It's also a great way to save time and resources, as each step is planned ahead.

Define your objectives: what is the purpose of the text? 

Is your goal to inform, convince, sell, or educate your audience? The style and vocabulary will vary depending on what you want to achieve. A marketing brochure should be catchy and persuasive, while a technical manual should be clear, accurate, and neutral. By making your objectives clear from the outset, you'll spare the translator from guesswork, giving you a text that will match your vision.

Specify the source and target language

Simply stating the language is not enough. You also need to mention the required variant: British or American English, French from France or Canada... These details help avoid mix-ups and last-minute costly changes. Overlooking regional differences can make a translation less effective or even misleading. A clear brief allows the translator to adopt the right variant from the very beginning.

Provide context and describe the target audience

Who is the text intended for? Is it for specialists who understand your industry jargon, or for a wider audience that requires simpler language? The context is just as important: is it an internal document, a marketing campaign, or an official communication? Not only does this information affect the tone, but also how precise the wording needs to be. The more the translator knows about your audience, the more effectively they can tailor the message.

Format and technical constraints

Specify the expected format: Word, InDesign, Excel, HTML, etc. And if the translation needs to fit into a layout or adhere to a character limit (for example, on a website or application), make this clear. These technical constraints directly influence the translator's work, as they may need to reword or shorten parts of the text. Specifying these details upfront saves time and avoids costly fixes down the line.

Provide references and examples

To ensure consistency, share your glossaries, previous translations, style guides, or even examples of content you like. These documents help the translator understand your brand tone and maintain consistency across all your materials. Providing these guidelines is a simple yet valuable step that limits the risk of inconsistencies or misunderstandings.

Set realistic deadlines and plan for checks and validations

A well-defined schedule prevents unpleasant surprises. Specify the final deadline, but also any intermediate stages if necessary (draft version, internal review, validation by a specific department). Taking the time to plan helps you handle any potential problems, make changes if needed, and avoid the stress of looming deadlines. A clear schedule benefits both you and the translator.

Identify the right contacts

The translator needs to know who to contact in case of doubt. Provide a main point of contact to streamline communications, ensuring efficiency and avoiding mixed messages. This facilitates smoother communication and helps resolve issues quickly, preventing any potential delays. A contact who's quick to respond and easy to reach makes following up much smoother and more professional.

Checklist: the 8 points of an effective brief

1. Clear and detailed objectives
2. The source and target languages (with regional variants)
3. Description of the target audience and context
4. Format and technical constraints
5. Glossaries and reference documents
6. A clear schedule that includes validation stages
7. Details of the main contacts
8. Any specific instructions related to the project

A translation brief saves time and ensures quality. At AbroadLink, we support you from the very beginning, helping you prepare your briefs to get the best out of your multilingual projects.

Bad translations don't only sound awkward, they can also damage your brand, confuse your customers and cost you real money. But here’s the good news: better results don’t always mean bigger budgets. Often, what companies need is a smarter approach to how they collaborate with translation providers.

Whether you’re working with a freelance translator, a translation agency, or even handling translations in-house, these five practical strategies can help elevate quality and efficiency across the board.

First, let’s address the elephant in the room: “Isn’t translation dead because of AI?”

It’s true, machine translation has improved dramatically. Tools like DeepL, Google Translate, and yes, even ChatGPT can produce remarkably fluent results. For casual use, producing drafts, or getting the gist of something, they’re excellent.

However, they are not:

• A replacement for expert human judgment.
• A safeguard against legal, cultural, or technical errors.
• A reliable source for brand-sensitive or high-risk content.

Think of AI as a powerful starting point, not a finish line. In fact, many professionals now use machine translation with human post-editing to combine speed with quality. But if your content needs to be accurate—clear, consistent, legally sound, or persuasive—you still need humans in the loop.

The smartest businesses are learning how to integrate AI wisely, not rely on it blindly.

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1. Share What Matters Most: Market, Tone, and Audience

Who are you talking to? Where do they live? What matters to them?

Tone, formality and vocabulary shift depending on the region and demographic. For example, Spanish used in Colombia differs significantly from the one used in Argentina. German spoken by teenagers sounds nothing like German spoken by lawyers. If you're vague about your target audience, your translations may miss the mark entirely.

And while AI might “guess” at tone or intent, it doesn’t know your brand’s voice or audience unless you define it. Be specific about who you’re trying to reach, and your translators (human or AI-assisted) will make better decisions.

2. Professionals Only: Don’t Gamble on Language Skills Alone

A bilingual employee or a friend who studied abroad isn’t the same as a professional translator. Translation is an activity that requires domain knowledge, writing skill, cultural awareness and specialized tools.

Even AI needs qualified supervision. Just like you wouldn’t publish a legal contract generated by ChatGPT without a lawyer’s review, you shouldn’t publish AI-translated product copy or safety instructions without a translator’s input.

Want high-quality results? Work with trained professionals and if you’re using machine translation, pair it with post-editing carried out by an expert linguist.

3. Provide Editable and Accessible Source Files

Sending non-editable PDFs or screenshots is still one of the top productivity killers in translation workflows. Professional translators (and translation software) work best with structured, editable files, such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, HTML, InDesign packages, etc.

Modern translation tools also track repetitions and build translation memories, smart databases that store previous translations to increase consistency and reduce costs over time.

While AI tools can quickly process large word volumes, without structured input, they can miss the context or misinterpret layout-sensitive content. Help them (and your team) by providing accessible source files from the start.

4. Context Is Essential: Give Translators the Full Picture

Even the most advanced AI can’t guess the meaning of “Press here” if it doesn’t know what “here” is. Whether you’re using humans or machines, having context reduces the risk of making errors.

Here are some quick ways to help your translation provider to gain context:

• Share screenshots of UI elements.
• Explain the purpose of the document.
• Provide reference materials, brand guidelines, or prior translations.

Clear context empowers translators and improves machine translation outputs alike. Think of it like giving your GPS the right destination: it makes the whole journey smoother.

5. Leverage Internal Experts, But Keep It Balanced

Your sales team, distributors or international branches know your products and markets better than anyone. Their insights on terminology, tone and cultural preferences is invaluable, especially for adapting your content to the local market.

Involve them early in the process, but don’t overburden them. Establishing a streamlined feedback loop with clear and defined responsibilities ensures that their input enhances results without causing delays. You or your language service provider can even use structured review platforms or translation management systems to handle this efficiently.

The final takeaway: translation quality is a strategic advantage

If your content shapes how people see your brand (and it almost always does), then translation deserves more than a last-minute slot in your workflow. It should hold a priority step in your marketing strategy.

To this end, you should:

• Know your audience.
• Use professional linguists.
• Share context and assets.
• Embrace smart tech.
• Build feedback into your process.

Translation isn’t dying. It’s evolving. By working with a specialised translation agency, your company can communicate better, faster and more confidently in every language that matters.

Efficient workflow management is crucial for multinational companies aiming to maintain competitiveness in a global market. Your ability to manage documents efficiently can profoundly impact your operational success. With operations spread across different countries, managing workflows effectively becomes a challenge that requires innovative solutions and a streamlined approach. This is where effective document management plays a pivotal role, ensuring that all parts of your organisation communicate effectively, and documents are accessible when needed.

The right document management strategy saves time and reduces costs associated with mismanaged resources. As your company grows, the volume of documents increases exponentially, so implementing robust systems that facilitate easy storage, retrieval, and sharing of documents is vital. This strategic approach allows your teams worldwide to work more harmoniously, enhancing overall productivity and ensuring a smoother operational flow.

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Document Management Systems in Global Operations

In a competitive global market, having an efficient document management system (DMS) is more than a convenience—it's necessary for your multinational business. A robust DMS ensures that all documents are securely stored and easily accessible, minimising the risk of data loss and enhancing compliance with international regulatory requirements. Your teams worldwide can access vital information swiftly, which is crucial for making timely decisions and maintaining the flow of business operations.

A DMS can dramatically improve your company's ability to coordinate and execute globally. It provides a central repository for all corporate documents, simplifying the version control and document retrieval process. This centralisation is key to maintaining consistency in your corporate communications and operational practices, ensuring that all offices, regardless of location, are on the same page.

Critical Strategies for Streamlining Document Workflow

Streamlining document workflow in your international business starts with identifying bottlenecks in your current system. By auditing your document flow, you can pinpoint areas where delays typically occur, such as document approval processes or access issues. Implementing automated workflows can significantly reduce these delays, ensuring that documents move smoothly from one stage to another without unnecessary holdups. This automation also helps in maintaining a high level of accuracy and accountability in document processing.

Training your staff to use document management technologies effectively is equally crucial. Your employees must understand how to use the tools to manage documents efficiently. This includes training on categorising and tagging documents properly, facilitating quicker retrieval and reducing time wasted searching for information. Empowering your employees with the right knowledge and tools enables them to contribute positively to the streamlined document workflow.

Cost Reductions and Efficiency

Managing business documents efficiently goes beyond mere organisation; it involves optimising how these documents are handled to save on costs and improve operational efficiency. Compressing your business documents can play a significant role in achieving this. By reducing file sizes, your company can save on storage costs on physical servers and cloud storage solutions. This also speeds up sending and receiving files, which is particularly useful when dealing with large volumes of data across different geographies.

Compressed files make it easier for your teams to manage and retrieve information quickly. Efficient file handling can be particularly beneficial in environments where rapid access to updated documents is crucial. For instance, using a PDF compressor enhances your business's operational workflows by ensuring that large files are more manageable and less cumbersome. This improves your team's productivity and enhances the overall agility of your business operations.

Document Handling Challenges Across Multiple Languages

Handling documents across multiple languages and cultures presents unique challenges that require careful consideration. For your multinational company, this might involve accurately translating business documents to ensure all employees, regardless of location, understand company policies and procedures. Misinterpretations caused by poor translations can lead to significant operational issues and miscommunications. Therefore, establishing a reliable translation process is essential for maintaining clarity and consistency across your global operations.

Additionally, cultural differences in business practices can affect how documents are perceived and handled in different regions. What works in one cultural context might not be appropriate in another. Your document management system must be adaptable and sensitive to these cultural variances to ensure that all documents are relevant and respectfully address the nuances of local business etiquette. This adaptability helps build a cohesive company culture that respects and incorporates diverse perspectives and practices.

Tools for Managing Business Documents Effectively

In a global business, leveraging innovative document management tools can significantly enhance operational efficiency. Document management software with features like real-time editing, version control, and secure cloud storage can transform how your teams collaborate. These tools allow for seamless interactions between departments and international offices, ensuring everyone can access the latest document versions without the risk of data duplication or loss.

Another key feature of modern document management tools is integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. These technologies can automate routine tasks such as data entry and document sorting, freeing your staff to focus on more strategic activities. AI can also provide analytics to help you understand how documents are being used and to identify patterns that could indicate areas for improvement. By incorporating these advanced technologies, your company can stay ahead in managing information securely and efficiently.

Collaboration Through Improved Document Sharing

Enhancing collaboration in your multinational company starts with improved access to and sharing documents. Centralised document management systems ensure that regardless of where your employees are located, they can access necessary documents immediately. This accessibility is crucial for projects requiring input from multiple stakeholders across different time zones and regions. By improving access, you ensure all team members have what they need to contribute effectively, enhancing the overall collaborative efforts.

Robust document-sharing protocols are essential to maintain security and data protection responsibilities while facilitating ease of access. Implementing role-based access controls and encrypted file-sharing methods can help prevent unauthorised access and ensure that sensitive information remains secure. These measures protect your company's data and build trust among team members, as they can confidently share information knowing it is protected. Such an environment fosters a more dynamic and efficient collaboration, which is key to the success of any global business.

Efficient document management is critical for your multinational company to thrive in a competitive global marketplace. By implementing robust document management systems and leveraging innovative tools, your business can enhance collaboration, ensure secure data handling, and improve operational efficiencies. With the right systems in place, your company is well-equipped to meet the challenges of global business dynamics effectively and efficiently.

Customer relationship management (CRM) software has become an essential part of business management.

This powerful tool brings together all the company's information and offers numerous advantages for continually optimising performance and efficiency. For example, it is possible to combine this software with the company's virtual telephony. As both work via the Internet, their connection will provide functionalities that will allow you to concentrate on tasks that require greater concentration and add greater value to your business.

In the field of translation services, integrating telephony with CRM can be a powerful tool for improving the customer experience and increasing productivity. By integrating telephony systems with customer relationship management (CRM) systems, translation departments can effectively manage incoming and outgoing calls, as well as communications with customers.

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Increased efficiency

CRM software such as Fonvirtual, which brings together all the data of a customer (current or potential) or supplier on a single platform, allows access to all members of the company from anywhere and on any device.

This data includes the customer's contact number, information on the status of an order, any incidents that may have occurred, etc. These systems can be integrated with other tools that the company uses to optimise processes and the time of their agents, as they will not need to move from one screen to another to perform different actions in each of the applications.

By integrating CRM with your company's telephone system, you can take advantage of features such as simple communication with customers without having to leave the customer's file.

In this way, there is no need to leave the CRM and switch to another platform to make a call or start a chat, which, as well as making it possible to view and modify information in real time, implies an increase in agent performance.

Constant flow of information

Another advantage of combining a virtual telephone system with a CRM is that information is constantly circulating between the two systems, with changes being updated in real time. As a result, anyone in the company will be able to access up-to-date information in real time, improving internal communication and the exchange of information. What's more, any agent will be able to deal with and will be familiar with the case of each specific customer, even if they have never dealt with it before.

The record of all the past conversations held between the agent and the customer will be reflected in the CRM, so when a call, video call or chat is made, any employee who receives it will be able to view previous interactions, the agent who assisted the customer previously, the notes taken during and after a contact, etc.

Customer service personalisation

In line with the above, the fact that the agent can view the customer's information without abandoning the interaction makes it possible for them to provide a much more personalised service. Furthermore, they can make any changes or add information from the same interface in which the interaction is received.

The result will be greater customer satisfaction and loyalty, because they will appreciate being looked after quickly and in a personalised way. Besides, there's no better ambassador for a brand than a satisfied customer who recommends it to family and friends.

Integration of a telephone system into the CRM of a translation agency

Thanks to the integration of telephony with CRM, translation services can:

• Manage incoming and outgoing calls efficiently, recording calls and retaining records for security and compliance reasons.
• Quickly access customers' information, including their preferences and specific needs, enabling a personalised customer experience.
• Track communications with customers, including calls, emails and text messages, to better understand their needs and preferences.
• Improve productivity by automating repetitive tasks, such as entering customer information and managing calls.
• Improve service quality by providing accurate, up-to-date information about customers, enabling informed decisions to be made and personalised solutions to be provided.

When looking for a translation agency, it's important to find one that offers a personalised, efficient service. A CRM system integrated with a telephone system like Fonvirtual provides a high-quality system.

Integration is also a very simple process. In general, centralising information in one place can only lead to profits for a company. If you would like to find out more about this integration, you can find all the information you need through this link.

When you want to stand out from the crowd, embrace the values of our time and initiate a sustainable conversion, you're ready to embark on a Corporate Social Responsibility approach. That said, a CSR policy cannot be improvised, and requires the collaboration and training of your professional ecosystem.

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Open up a dialogue

One of the pillars of CSR is respect for people. When you want to embark on this kind of approach, it's important to invite all the company's stakeholders: employees, external collaborators, suppliers, customers, partners, etc. to think about the improvements and actions that could be put in place.

Everyone must be able to express themselves, feel listened to and involved, which is the basis for well-being in the workplace. By recognising the importance and the ideas of each individual, everyone can feel that they have a legitimate place in the company or in their interaction with it. 

A CSR policy is therefore based first and foremost on brainstorming, an exchange of ideas from different points of view. Once the various wishes have been collected and taken into account, the new proposals can be discussed and evaluated. 

At this point, even if decisions have to be taken later to favour certain approaches, they should be taken collectively and not arbitrarily by an executive.

Carry out an audit

CSR has three main components: environmental, social and economic. It is advisable to evaluate the practices in place within the company, in order to understand the scope for improvement in each area. Mapping the company's negative impacts gives you knowledge of them and allows you to find the manner to remedy them.

This also allows you to prioritise actions and get started quickly with changes that are easy to implement.

From an environmental point of view, the aim is to understand how the company could reduce its impact on nature by examining all the links in the chain. Whatever the nature of the company's activities, change can start with simple actions such as waste separation, employee car-sharing, the rational use of resources, etc. You can then go further and opt for green energy, ban chemical materials, promote eco-design, establish quality sourcing, etc.

On the social front, the idea is to guarantee the well-being of all stakeholders, their fair treatment and respect for human rights. This applies to employees, of course, but also to all our other partners and customers.

In practical terms, this means ensuring that workstations are ergonomically correct and well-lit, that working hours and days off are respected, checking that workplaces are safe, etc. If you want to take this aspect further, you can encourage diversity within the company and outlaw discrimination, set up your own foundation or contribute to an association defending a humanitarian cause, opt for benevolent management, guarantee transparent governance, etc.

The economic aspect covers the sustainability of wealth creation and the improvement of material conditions. In this case, the aim is to encourage the development of the local economic fabric, to opt for fair pricing on both sides so that it is decent for everyone, to encourage the circular economy, and to fight against programmed obsolescence.

Appoint a manager

Although everyone should be involved in the CSR process, it is important to designate a person or a working group to take the lead on this matter. This means that projects can be carried out over the long term, CSR can become an integral part of the company's strategy and the initial enthusiasm will not fade!

The dedicated person or team should be a point of reference, a sort of project manager for everything related to CSR. This person is responsible for coordinating the actions, planning their implementation and taking care of all the paperwork. They must also keep up to date with changes in constraints (legislation, ISO standards, etc.) in order to manage the CSR policy effectively. Raising awareness, explaining and providing information on the various actions undertaken is also part of the mission.

Finally, when managing the CSR strategy, it is important to measure the company's progress on a regular basis, to see how far it has come, which aspects need to be improved and what new directions can be taken.

Undergo training

Obviously, establishing and implementing a genuine long-term CSR strategy is not something that can be improvised, and when you want to do things properly, the best idea is to get some training. 

Solid training in CSR, provided by an experienced professional, helps you to understand the issues, acquire the keys to drawing up an action plan and go beyond the general aspects. It will also allow you to acquire skills, think about communication and identify reliable, objective indicators to measure progress. 

Whether you're a very small business or a large corporation, a few hours or just a few days' training can be all you need to develop your skills in these areas and build a genuine, coherent and sincere CSR policy that brings together all your stakeholders. This approach has several benefits, including improved brand image and employee motivation, as well as greater attractiveness to new talent/partners. This can help all kinds of companies, such as a translation company like AbroadLink.

The application of VAT can lead to confusing cases in countries of the EU. Translation services may be exempt from VAT depending on the type of translations we do.

In general, the application of tax legislation at European level may give rise to certain doubts. Paying for a translation service as an individual is not the same as paying for it as a company, although there are circumstances that will not discriminate between companies and private individuals.

When do you have to pay VAT for translation services? Can I recover the VAT paid for translation? What types of translations are exempt from VAT?

In this blog, I answer these and other questions that may arise around the application of VAT for translation services.

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1. Do I have to pay VAT if my translation provider is a foreign EU company?

In the event that you –an individual or company with legal address in a country of the EU– have requested the services of a translation company whose legal address is also in a country of the European Union , there will be cases in which they will have to charge you VAT and cases in which they will not.

The application of VAT by an intra-community supplier, this is the term used for a company located in the European Union, will be different depending on whether you have purchased the translation as an individual or as a company.

1.1 I am a private individual who has purchased translation services from a company or freelance translator in Europe

If, as a private individual, you have contracted the services of an intra-community translation agency, you will have to pay VAT. In general, both in translation services and in other types of services or purchase of products, individuals are subject to VAT.

In any case, the VAT you will have to pay as a private individual will not be the VAT % applicable in your country, but the VAT applicable in the country of residence of the company or freelance translator who has offered you the service.

For example, the VAT rate applied by French translation companies is 20%, which is lower than the Spanish rate of 21%. However, the applicable VAT rate for translation services in Germany is 19%.

1.2 I am a EU company that has purchased translation services from a translation company or freelance translator with legal address in another country of the EU

If you are a company buying translation services in Europe, the situation is somewhat more complex than if you were a private individual.

As individual you will have to pay the VAT applicable in the tax residence country of the contracted translation provider.

As we have seen in the case of private individuals, you will have to pay 20% VAT if the translation company is French and 19% if the company is German. Click here to see the VAT rates applicable according to the country of the European Union.

In any case, even if your company is not exempt from VAT and you do have to pay this VAT, you can always declare it and recover it. You can visit this page to see how to recover all this input VAT depending on which country you work.

However, it is most likely that if you are a company that works at a European level, your company is registered in the register of Intra-Community suppliers.

If this is your case, you do not have to pay VAT for your translations, as long as the company doing the work is in Europe.

Be aware that the foreign translation company you work with may not be aware of this and may routinely charge VAT on the invoice.

2. Do I have to pay VAT if my translation provider is a foreign company from outside the EU?

If your language service provider is a translation company or freelance translator with tax residence abroad outside the European Union, you may or may not be liable to pay VAT depending on the tax rules of each country, whether you are a translation company or a freelancetranslator.

If you are a company, it will be possible to recover the VAT paid in a foreign country outside the European Union if your country has signed a bilateral agreement with that country, such as Canada, Japan, Monaco, Switzerland, Israel or Norway, among others.

3. I am a non-profit organization: Do I have to pay VAT for translation services?

In most countries of the EU, the fact that you are a non-profit organisation does not exempt you from the obligation to pay VAT on the services you hire or the products you buy.

Non-profit organisations have the same VAT obligations as other businesses , so even if you have to pay VAT, you can still deduct it and recover or offset it.

The tax advantages for non-profit organizations lie in other fiscal aspects. Non-profit organizations are not subject to a profit tax as other businesses are.

4. What happens to the VAT I am charged for my translation?

What happens with the VAT charged on your invoice for translation services depends entirely on whether you have purchased as a private individual or on behalf of your company.

If you are a private individual, whether you are charged VAT by an intra-community company or a translation company in your own country, your money will end up in the Treasury's coffers to help meet the State's expenses.

On the contrary, you may not know it, but in most EU countries there is a way to get this VAT returned, companies present to the Treasury both the VAT paid and collected, with a final result that will come out to pay or to collect.

Therefore, the VAT you pay on your translations will be refunded to you or offset against other VAT you have charged your clients.

If your company makes a profit, it is normal that you need to transfer money to the Treasure for the VAT you have been paid. Only if your company is making a loss or if you do not charge VAT to your clients because they are foreign companies, you will get a positive return for your VAT.

That means that you will be able to ask the Treasury to refund it.

In the event that you have had to pay VAT to an intra-community company because your company is not registered in the intra-community supplier register, you should also be able to recover the VAT, as it happens in most EU countries. Here you get info on how to do this, depending on the country were you have your legal address.

5. VAT exemptions for translation work in Spain

In the case of Spain, there are some specific cases in which translation work is exempt from VAT. In other words, whether you are a private individual or you represent a company and hire an individual, the freelance translator who does the translation work for you is not obliged to issue you with a VAT invoice. If you contract with a translation agency, they are obliged to charge VAT.

Translations that are exempt from VAT are both literary works and scientific works. In other words, if you are a publishing house translating Faust from German into Spanish, you are not obliged to pay VAT for this translation work.

It is also true for work of a scientific nature, such as the translation of an article that you want to publish in a foreign journal.

Are they asking for a translated medical certificate from an employee before they leave on a trip or do they want to see the translation of their CV as soon as possible? Start by taking a deep breath: approach the problem with a positive attitude.

This is one of the proven stress management techniques.

The application of methods according to your needs will allow you to obtain your translation quickly while still meeting the established quality criteria.

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1. What are the instructions to follow to get your translation?

Whoever asked you for the translation in question told you that it was urgent, but may also have given you other instructions that you should take into account. You will have to take them into account even if they are implicit.

In addition, you will need to know which country or region the translation is intendedfor, because for the same language there can be considerable variations in the words and the presentation of the document.

The British and Americans, for example, follow the same rules when it comes to submitting documents such as CVs.

2. What is the nature of your urgent translation?

By asking yourself this simple question, you are already solving many technical issues.

In today's world, it is necessary to have quality translations of various documents available quickly.

But not all of them have the same requirements, so you must first distinguish the level of importance of the document. Some of the documents considered important include:

• Documents with legal value (marital status documents, contracts, notarial deeds, tax documents, etc.)
• Medical Documents
• Academic and professional transcripts (resumes, diplomas, etc.)

Therefore, it is essential to know which professionals the translation is aimed at.

3. Translation agencies: the best option

To translate these documents, depending on the instructions you already have, going through a qualified translation agency may be the best solution.

Most translation agencies are able to provide you with urgent and specialized translations. This way you can get translations the same day you order them and sometimes even within a few hours.

Translation agencies have the possibility of dividing the documents to be translated among several translators.

In addition, more sophisticated translation companies can coordinate this work through platforms that improve translator communication.

In any case, have the contact details of a good translation agency at hand so that you can deal with urgent translations and not die trying.

This way, you will be able to deal with any situation and will no longer be surprised at the last minute by translation requests that you can't handle yourself.

You've probably been thinking for a long time about what to name your brand. This is normal, since the good development of your company can depend on the success of your brand in the local market.

Customers will identify you with your brand name and will receive the various messages devised in your marketing department under this name.

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The name of your brand represents you, it is your business card and therefore you should take care of it as much as possible. What do you have to keep in mind when expanding into new international markets?

1. Translation of the brand and international prestige

If you want to expand into another country or even internationally, you will need to consider whether to translate your company name or brand or not. Usually this is a task that should be done when choosing a brand name, i.e. you should also ask yourself how your brand name will be perceived abroad when you start thinking about the brand.

This article published in the magazine Innovar, Foreign Branding: Examining the Relationship between Language and International Brand Evaluations, is a good reflection on this issue. For this reason, many companies choose a name that sounds good in English, to facilitate the integration of the company's activity in an increasingly globalized world.

2. When is it necessary to translate a company's brand?

A good translation of the brand name is essential when the market to which you want to export requires it. Simply because your brand must sound "right" to the ears of foreigners and because you must avoid making a fool of yourself.

It is said that making a fool of yourself does not kill, but this is not true when it comes to marketing. To make a fool of oneself in this area means to end up being the laughing stock of an entire country. Many brands have already suffered the consequences of a bad translation.

3. Why should you translate your brand name?

To translate your brand name it is best to work with a qualified translation agency for companies like AbroadLink Translations, if you want to be sure of getting good results.

Whether or not it is necessary to translate your brand name will also depend on the sector to which your company belongs. Those companies related to luxury or fashion might choose to choose a name in French and not translate it into the other languages, since for this type of sector French is usually more elegant, although it will generally be English that gives us a brand for international use.

4. Steps to get a good translation of your brand name

Ask yourself the right questions: Does the name of my brand or company mean anything in the language I want it translated into? Is the name I want for my brand still available or has it already been registered in the target market? Is it necessary to adapt it to another alphabet and, if so, is it simple enough to transcribe?

The Latin alphabet is not perceived in the same way everywhere. There are even some markets, such as the Chinese market, where it is mandatory to transcribe the name of the company into Mandarin in order to officially register it.

But the case of China is a case apart, as is well told in The Salmon Blog. However, if you want to target the Chinese market, it is essential that you use a professional translation company as our marketing translation service to do your translations and get the best results.

A quality translation of your corporate brand will always indicate that you understand and adapt to the local culture. Customers will welcome you as one of their own if you make that little effort to take a step towards them.

As an SME, ensuring the highest quality translation of your documents or articles can raise some relevant questions. What type of professional should you opt for? How can you prepare your documents effectively? This article will provide you with all the answers.

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A translation that often presents problems for small enterprises

The internet is a valuable tool for any company, business or organisation, regardless of the nature of its activities. Therefore, presenting a translation adapted to foreign readers requires impeccable quality. However, some SMEs favour online machine translation platforms because they are free of cost. The result? Questionable quality that often undermines their initial objectives, where translation errors and loss of message have a negative impact.

Translating text content with a machine translator and for free will undoubtedly be counterproductive for an SME. Knowing this, you can ask yourself a pertinent question: which professionals should you choose to avoid this type of situation?

Translation agencies and their teams of translators

While cheaper options may seem tempting, using a translation company for professional translations offer a considerable advantage: access to a team of experts.

Therefore, depending on the nature of your document, the internal selection among available translators will favour the quality of the work done. In short, each professional has their own skills and affinities according to the subject in question. Would you like to translate a document intended for English or German-speaking readers? Are your documents related to the medical field or high-tech products? Whatever your needs, some translation agencies will guarantee you indisputable quality.

Choosing a recognised translation company for quality translations

Each agency is characterised by a more or less verifiable quality of translation. Some comments published online can reveal the quality of the company. Therefore, choosing a good agency is an essential step to ensure a high-quality translation, whatever the profile of your company, business or organisation.

The translation agency’s image and its customer list are key factors in choosing the right translation company. Do not hesitate to ask for a customer list related to your industry. Obtaining verifiable references is good practice for working with a good translation agency.

Translations for companies: preparing your content efficiently is vital

Finally, it is worth remembering another crucial step: the initial preparation of your documents. While it may seem obvious at first glance, some revisions will allow you to enhance your documents or articles in order to optimise the results:

• Is the main message perfectly defined?
• Should you modify certain grammatical structures in your document to make it easier to read?
• And what about SEO?

A high-quality source text will lead to higher quality translations, helping the translator in their task.