General Terms and Conditions for Translators and Interpreters:
§ 1 – General Provisions
(1) The following General Terms and Conditions (GTC) shall apply exclusively to all existing and future legal transactions between ATLANTIK Bochum GmbH, Universitätsstraße 125, 44789 Bochum (hereinafter "ATLANTIK") and the translator or the agency. (Hereinafter referred to collectively as "translator," unless the agency is explicitly mentioned.) These GTC shall also apply to all future orders, offers, deliveries, and services within an ongoing business relationship, even without express inclusion.
§ 2 – Eligibility and Qualification
(1) The translator assures that they possess the qualifications specified in the contract and have provided truthful information about themselves.
(2) ATLANTIK is entitled to request suitable documents from the translator for verification of this information and to store them for the fulfillment of contractual obligations.
§ 3 – Scope of Services
(1) The translator will receive an offer from ATLANTIK for the translation of a text on a case-by-case basis. Upon acceptance of the offer by the translator, a translation contract is concluded between the parties under the conditions specified in the offer.
(2) The translator must personally perform the services. They are not permitted to engage employees or third parties for execution of the assignment without prior approval from ATLANTIK. In the case of agencies, the agency is responsible for the careful selection and supervision of the translator. Upon request, the agency must disclose the specific translator assigned or appoint another translator as requested by ATLANTIK.
(3) The translation must be carried out diligently in accordance with professional standards. The translator commits to submitting only carefully translated texts. Partial deliveries are not permitted unless explicitly agreed upon. ATLANTIK shall receive the translation in the contractually agreed format and within the contractually agreed delivery time.
(4) The translator shall be provided in a timely manner with the required specifications for the translation (intended use, delivery format, number of copies, print readiness, external format, etc.) and the necessary information and documents for translation. They are obliged to render the translated text professionally and accurately in the agreed language without omissions, additions, or any other content modifications. Translations must be carried out literally or meaningfully and in accordance with cultural expectations in the respective language area, following established quality standards in the translation industry. Any specific terminology used by the client must be observed.
(5) In case of questions or ambiguities, the translator must contact ATLANTIK immediately. Direct communication with ATLANTIK’s clients is prohibited.
(6) ATLANTIK is entitled to conduct random quality checks on submitted translations. The translator has no claim to a review of their submitted texts.
(7) For interpreting services, the interpreter commits to executing their work diligently and professionally. This includes timely preparation based on materials provided by the client and thorough familiarization with relevant terminology and contexts. The interpreter must inform ATLANTIK immediately about unclear information or missing documents.
§ 4 – Rights Granting
(1) By submitting the translation, the translator declares that they have created the translation themselves and that no third-party rights exist beyond those attached to the original source material. Agencies guarantee that no third-party rights exist on the translation.
(2) Upon submission, the translator grants ATLANTIK the exclusive, unrestricted rights to use and exploit the translation in terms of time, space, and territory. This includes the right to edit, modify, reproduce, publicly display, or otherwise exploit the translation, as well as all rights necessary for the respective contractual purpose of ATLANTIK’s client.
(3) ATLANTIK is entitled to grant and/or transfer usage rights to third parties, particularly its clients, and to pass on the translation for unrestricted utilization.
(4) The translator waives their right to be named or credited as the author.
§ 5 – Compensation
(1) The translator shall receive the remuneration agreed upon in the respective contract. This is determined by the number of lines, language combination, difficulty level, field of expertise, or as a flat rate. The agreed compensation is net, plus the applicable VAT if legally required. The payment is made in euros unless another currency is agreed upon. The following definitions apply:
(2) Lines: 55 characters including spaces.
(3) The translator must submit a proper invoice to ATLANTIK by the end of each month, indicating the applicable VAT or providing justification for non-taxation. Payments are due on the 15th and 30th of each month but not before the respective invoice has been received.
(4) For court interpreting services, invoices must be submitted within two weeks after the interpreting assignment in the original form along with a separate invoice. If the invoice is not submitted within 2.5 months after the assignment, the interpreter's claim to compensation expires.
(5) For interpreting services outside regular working hours (e.g., weekends, holidays, or nighttime), a special fee may be agreed upon. This must be arranged in writing in advance between ATLANTIK and the interpreter.
(6) The translator is responsible for handling their own tax obligations related to their translation income in accordance with applicable laws.
(7) Interpreters may claim travel expenses (e.g., transportation, accommodation) if these were incurred and pre-approved by ATLANTIK in writing.
(8) Any potential costs and expenses are covered by the agreed remuneration. Reimbursement is only granted for costs that were actually incurred and pre-approved by ATLANTIK.
(9) There is no entitlement to advance payments. The translator is also not entitled to partial payment claims.
§ 6 – Confidentiality
(1) The translator must treat all information, documents, and materials obtained through the contractual relationship with ATLANTIK and/or its clients as confidential and must not use, exploit, or disclose them to third parties without explicit written consent. They must permanently delete all data upon completion of the assignment. If deletion has already occurred but corrections are required, ATLANTIK will provide the necessary data.
(2) The interpreter is prohibited from engaging in self-promotion during or in connection with an assignment or from contacting ATLANTIK's clients to offer their own services. Violations may result in ATLANTIK claiming damages.
(3) The interpreter must protect all confidential information received during assignments and must not make any recordings unless explicitly authorized in writing.
§ 7 – Warranty, Delay
(1) ATLANTIK has statutory warranty rights against the translator.
(2) If the translator does not remedy defects within a reasonable time, ATLANTIK may have the defects corrected at the translator’s expense, reduce the remuneration, or withdraw from the contract.
(3) If the translator fails to deliver on time or delivers poorly, they will be in default and liable for any resulting damages. ATLANTIK may set a grace period and, if unmet, withdraw from the contract and claim damages.
(4) The translator must immediately inform ATLANTIK if circumstances arise that could affect timely delivery.
§ 8 – Liability
(1) ATLANTIK is only liable for damages caused by intentional or grossly negligent breaches by ATLANTIK, its legal representatives, or agents, except in cases involving injury to life, body, or health.
§ 9 – Indemnification
(1) The translator indemnifies ATLANTIK against all third-party claims arising from the translation, including intellectual property disputes and related legal costs.
§ 10 – Final Provisions
(1) The laws of the Federal Republic of Germany apply, excluding the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.
(2) The place of jurisdiction for all disputes is Bochum.
(3) If any provision of this contract is or becomes invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain unaffected.
§ 11 Prohibition of Self-Promotion During and After the Assignment
(1) The service provider (interpreter) is obligated not to engage in any self-promotion during the performance of an assignment for ATLANTIK Bochum GmbH. In particular, it is prohibited to offer personal services, leave business cards or contact information, or otherwise promote oneself or a competing company at courts, authorities, businesses, or any other locations where the service provider is working on behalf of ATLANTIK.
(2) This obligation also applies after the completion of an individual assignment. The service provider is prohibited from making any subsequent contact with individuals or entities encountered during the assignment for the purposes of self-promotion or acquiring new assignments. It is also prohibited to refer third parties to these entities or promote competing companies.
(3) Any violation of these provisions will result in the immediate termination of the collaboration and permanent exclusion from the ATLANTIK Bochum GmbH network without prior warning. In addition, ATLANTIK reserves the right to take legal action and claim damages.
(4) ATLANTIK Bochum GmbH reserves the right to review violations of this regulation through internal control measures or feedback from clients. In the event of a violation, the consequences outlined in (3) will apply.