About the ÖVGD

The ÖVGD was founded in 1920 and is the only professional association of certified legal interpreters/translators in Austria. The association is the official contact point for the Ministry of Justice in matters relating to legal interpreting/translation.

Please note that the ÖVGD IS NOT A TRANSLATION AGENCY AND WILL REFER INQUIRERS TO THE ÖVGD MEMBER LIST!

Membership is voluntary, and the association depends on membership fees to finance its activities. It offers a host of services to its members (advice on fee issues, CPD activities, educational material),  publishes an electronic newsletter and (twice a year) the printed “Mitteilungsblatt). The ÖVGD Forum is the association’s platform for informal exchanges among members.

The ÖVGD has adopted a code of professional ethics which is binding upon members. Compliance is monitored by a disciplinary committee.

The general meeting of the association takes place annually and elects a board every three years. In April 2021 the following ÖVGD members were elected to the ÖVGD board:
 
President:  
 
Dr. phil. Andrea Bernardini
 
Vice-President:  
 
Mag. phil. Dr. iur. Brigitte Meßner
 
Treasurer:
    
Dr. iur. Christina Meyenburg
 
Deputy Treasurer:
 
Maria Danilova
 
Board Members: MMag. Eva Adensamer
Mag. Elli Frank-Grossebner
Patrick Hiehs, Bakk. phil. MA
Dr. iur. Dietmar Koller
Mag. phil. Elisabeth Prantner-Hüttinger
Dr. iur. Erich Schwarzenbacher

The association is a member of EULITA (European Legal Interpreters and Translators Association) and FIT (International Federation of Translators) as well as several national organizations such as the “Hauptverband der Sachverständigen”, reflecting the fact that expert witnesses and legal interpreters/translators are governed by the same laws (Sachverständigen- und Dolmetschgesetz, Gebührenanspruchsgesetz).
 
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