Brussels concentrates some of the most active jurisdictions in the country - the Court of First Instance, the Enterprise Court, the Court of Appeal, the Labour Court. As soon as a foreign document enters a Brussels proceeding, sworn translation by an FPS Justice sworn translator is mandatory. Here is what you need to know to avoid jeopardising your case.
Brussels courts and the translation obligation
Brussels is a bilingual judicial district of unique complexity in Europe. The Belgian Judicial Code, in Article 8, requires that proceedings be conducted in the language of the competent linguistic region: French before French-speaking sections, Dutch before Dutch-speaking sections. Specific rules apply in municipalities with linguistic facilities and before federal jurisdictions sitting in Brussels. Any document produced in another language - whether an English contract, a Moroccan judgment, or American company statutes - must be translated by a sworn translator-interpreter registered on the official list of the FPS Justice.
The Brussels Court of First Instance
The Brussels Court of First Instance handles civil, criminal, and family matters. The family sections regularly see files involving foreign civil status documents (divorces, adoptions, international child custody), judgments requiring exequatur, and testimonies collected abroad. The criminal section may receive evidence in foreign languages in files involving international fraud, trafficking, or cybercrime.
The Enterprise Court and the Court of Appeal
The Brussels Enterprise Court handles commercial disputes, including international contracts, disputes between foreign companies with an establishment in Belgium, and cross-border insolvency proceedings. The Brussels Court of Appeal hears appeals from all these decisions and exequatur proceedings for foreign judgments. Foreign company statutes, notarised powers of attorney, and international sale contracts are among the documents most frequently submitted for translation.
TranslateBE
Sworn translations for all Brussels courts
Our FPS Justice sworn translators master the procedural vocabulary of Brussels French-speaking and Dutch-speaking courts. Quote in 1h, express 24h available.
Documents frequently required before Brussels courts
Procedural documents and evidence
- Foreign judgments requiring exequatur: to obtain forced enforcement in Belgium of a decision rendered abroad, the full translation (grounds + operative part) is required by the court clerk.
- Foreign commercial contracts: contracts in English, Netherlands Dutch, German, or Spanish produced as evidence in commercial disputes.
- Foreign civil status documents: foreign birth, marriage, or death certificates produced in family law, succession, or nationality matters.
- Witness statements and declarations: attestations from witnesses made abroad, foreign police reports, international expert reports.
- Foreign company statutes: to establish the legal personality and capacity of a foreign company that is a party to a Brussels dispute.
- International criminal documents: European arrest warrants, mutual legal assistance requests, foreign criminal files transmitted via Eurojust.
Languages most requested in Brussels
- Arabic (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt), very common in family law
- English - commercial contracts, corporate law documents
- Turkish - nationality and family files
- Romanian, Polish - social and illegal employment files
- Portuguese - long-established community in Brussels
How to order your judicial translation for Brussels
Send a legible scan of your document, specifying the recipient jurisdiction (Brussels French-speaking Court of First Instance, Ondernemingsrechtbank, Court of Appeal, etc.) and the absolute deadline. An FPS Justice sworn translator specialised in law will be appointed. The translation is delivered with an original signature, official stamp, and FPS Justice registration number, ready to be filed with the court clerk.
Available turnaround times
- Express 24h: for judicial emergencies and documents up to 5 pages in common languages (English, Arabic, Turkish, Dutch, German).
- 48h to 72h: for large files (more than 10 pages) or less common languages (Romanian, Polish, Serbian, Bulgarian).
- Certified PDF or physical original: digital delivery by default; postal dispatch recommended for court clerks that require an original physical stamp.
4-step process
- Send a legible scan of your document via the platform
- Receive a firm quote in less than one hour
- Your document is processed by a sworn translator recognised by the competent authorities
- Delivery by email or post according to your needs, with official signature and stamp
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can a Brussels court clerk require the translation into Dutch of a foreign document even if the proceeding is conducted in French?
No. The language of the translation must correspond to the language of the proceeding. If you are pleading before a French-speaking section of the Brussels Court of First Instance, the sworn translation must be in French. If you are pleading before a Dutch-speaking section, it must be in Dutch. If in doubt, check with your lawyer before which linguistic section your case is listed.
Does the Brussels Enterprise Court accept digital translations with an electronic signature?
Court clerk practices are evolving, but most Brussels jurisdictions still require a translation bearing the original handwritten signature and physical stamp of the sworn translator. Some court clerks accept a PDF with a qualified electronic signature. Check with the relevant court clerk or specify your requirements when ordering so that we arrange the appropriate delivery.
For an exequatur in Brussels, does the foreign judgment need to be apostilled before translation?
The two procedures are independent but are often carried out in parallel. The apostille certifies the authenticity of the foreign authority's signature on the original document; the sworn translation certifies the linguistic faithfulness of the content. The Brussels Court of Appeal or the Court of First Instance may require both. For EU judgments, Regulation Brussels I bis (or Brussels IIb for family matters) simplifies the procedure and sometimes dispenses with the exequatur.
Can my Brussels lawyer order the sworn translation on my behalf?
Yes, many lawyers order translations directly on behalf of their clients. We regularly work with Brussels law firms that send us the documents to be translated, the deadline, and the billing details. The invoice can be issued in the name of the firm or the client according to your preference.