Born from commitment

The French National Chamber of Translation Companies (Chambre Nationale des Entreprises de Traduction, CNET) was born in 1976, as a result of the union of several leaders in charge of translation companies. Their wish was to promote the image of the profession within the users’ community.

The first year of work by this translators association was dedicated to regroup a very disperse profession, by legitimising its professionals as well as ensuring the respect for their rights. For this, CNET began dialogue with the government.

Internationally speaking, CNET is a founding member of EUATC, the European Union of Associations of Translation Companies, created in partnership with national translators associations from Italy, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Finland, Spain and Hungary. After 1994, the French translation association participates regularly in all events concerning the EUATC, giving its contribution towards the strengthening of international links within the continent, but also in talks with other important organisations throughout the world.

Other than this, CNET has had many other important actions, such as the negotiation of a collective convention called “Service providers”, published in 2000, as well as the part it played – very actively – in the establishment of the European norm for Translation Services, in 2006.

The French translators association was also responsible for the creation of the Translation Observatory (Observatoire de la Traduction), in 2004.

More recently, in 2011, CNET was the organiser of the first French fair concerning translation technologies, e-CNET.

According to the French translation association, there are seven good reasons to join them. First of all, CNET is the “only professional organisation in France representing translation companies”. It promotes a “regular dialogue with the other players” of the profession. Because “all translation companies share the same concerns”, CNET organises regular meetings where members can exchange solutions, find new partnerships and solve many problems otherwise hard to get rid of. Moreover, CNET provides its members with judicial support in matters such as tribunals, commercial litigation, taxation, etc.

The fact that CNET is a – founding – member of EUATC provides a window to the group of translation companies all around Europe. The regular organisation of international events like conferences and seminars about issues directly related with the future of the profession is another benefit for members. Furthermore, CNET organises strategic meetings for its members.

The first translation referential

CNET – with the unanimous support of its members – has decided to develop a Service Certification. This challenge comes as the result of the association’s commitment towards its triple mission, to stand for the interests of professionals who find themselves confronted, nowadays, with the even greater challenge of globalisation.
This project concerns a resolutely customer-oriented approach, aiming at providing him / her with all the guarantees he must get from a service provider, in terms of “responsiveness, reliability, confidentiality, professionalism and, of course, quality of service”. The certification will also serve as a tool for continuous improvement of the translation company that will be obliged to respect the conditions of CNET’s referential.

According to the translators association, this certification constitutes “a real challenge for the profession and a revolution”. It is all about bringing “a new dimension to translation companies”, which will be evaluated, through a rigorous referential, by an independent, worldwide acknowledged organisation, Bureau Veritas.

With the certification, the customer becomes the centre of everyone’s efforts, placing quality first. It constitutes a tool for the improvement of the company as well as it differentiates the certified translation company as well.

CNET, having participated actively in the elaboration of the European norm EN 15038, was able to contribute more efficiently for this project that brings a new value to the profession.

Keep in mind that French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the province of Quebec and the Acadia region in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Around the world there are around 130 million French speakers.

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