Judicial Interpreter in Bruges: Rechtbank Brugge, Hof van Beroep and Flemish Procedures

Bruges is the capital of the Province of West Flanders and the seat of the Rechtbank Brugge and, for western Flemish appeals, the Hof van Beroep Gent. Its court proceedings frequently involve migrant workers and foreign nationals linked to the Port of Zeebrugge or the tourism sector. A sworn judicial interpreter guarantees their fundamental rights during hearings.

Bruges courts and their interpreting needs

Bruges concentrates the main judicial institutions of West Flanders:

• Rechtbank van eerste aanleg West-Vlaanderen (Bruges seat): competent for civil, criminal, family and youth matters in West Flanders. It handles many cases related to people trafficking (the Calais-Zeebrugge corridor is a major migration route), illegal employment in agriculture and fisheries.
• Hof van Beroep Gent: the court of appeal competent for West Flanders, sitting in Ghent. For appeals against Bruges judgments, parties travel to Ghent, where our interpreters also work.
• Bruges Public Prosecutor's Office: particularly active in investigations into migrant smuggling via Zeebrugge (the Belgium-UK route), labour fraud in agriculture and maritime offences.
• Tribunal de l'entreprise West-Vlaanderen: handles commercial disputes in the region, including those linked to Bruges' tourism sector and the port activities of Zeebrugge.

Most requested languages at Bruges courts

• English: numerous tourists, British residents and trafficking victims en route to the UK
• Romanian and Bulgarian: agricultural and fisheries workers; cases involving undeclared employment
• Albanian: high volume in criminal cases related to people smuggling via Zeebrugge
• Arabic: North African and Middle Eastern migrants in transit or residents of West Flanders
• French: proceedings involving Walloon or French cross-border workers in the region
• Tigrinya (Eritrean), Dari, Pashto: languages of migrants in transit to the UK via Zeebrugge

Right to an interpreter in Flemish proceedings

The language of proceedings before Bruges courts is Dutch. Directive 2010/64/EU and Article 6 of the ECHR guarantee every defendant or party who does not understand Dutch the right to quality interpreting. In practice, the interpreter is appointed by the police or the court in public criminal proceedings and paid for by the State. In civil proceedings, parties commission their own sworn interpreter.