The main objectives of the support for literary translation projects, granted by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European Union, were to support cultural and linguistic diversity; to strengthen the transnational circulation and diversity of high quality literary works in the long term; to improve access to these literary works in the EU and beyond as all neighbourhood countries have been included, and to reach new audiences for European translated literature. The call for translation projects recognized the need to support the promotion of European translated literature and encourage the translations from lesser used languages into English, German, French and Spanish as these may contribute to a wider circulation of the works. EACEA paid special attention to encouraging the translation of less represented genres such as works for a younger public (children, adolescents and young adult), comics/graphic novels, short stories or poetry, be it through the appropriate use of digital technologies in both the distribution and promotion of the works.

CEATL particularly appreciates the efforts to raise translators’ profiles through the requirement of including their biography in each supported book. Encouragement of the translation and promotion of books which have won the EU Prize for Literature is also welcome, although including their translation into (one of) the four big languages as part of the award might be given consideration.

Out of 130 applications from 32 countries, 372 book translations within 46 two-year projects proposed by 18 countries have been supported by the total sum of 2,421,506.26 EUR.

Out of 21 applications from 10 countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, and United Kingdom), 147 book translations within 15 proposed Framework Partnership Agreements by the listed countries have been supported by the total sum of 1,147,236.76 EUR.

CEATL welcomes the fostering of this vital means of European understanding. At the same time, our umbrella organisation would like to emphasize the need for support for translators, and hopes that the poor practice of double contracts becomes a thing of the past.

The results can be studied here (https://eacea NULL.ec NULL.europa NULL.eu/creative-europe/actions/selection-results/support-literary-translation-projects-2018_en).