The Minister of Justice is responsible, according to the law, for the provision of interpreters and the translation of all documents needed at all relevant stages of the procedure. From http://www.eulita.eu/sites/default/files/Aequitas_Acces to Justice across Language and Culture in the EU.pdf [Extract begins] 2 Spain The Spanish Constitution, the law regulating the judicial system, the code of criminal procedure and case law of the Constitutional Court, all have procedures for the provision of free interpretation in the different stages of proceedings for those facing criminal charges and who do not understand the language normally used in the judicial process. Also Spanish citizens themselves have the right to be assisted by an interpreter when they speak one of Spain's other official languages. There are different initiatives to assess and accredit interpreters and translators working in the courts. In the larger cities, many courts have their own staff of in-house interpreters who cover a few languages. They are employees. The Minister of Justice is responsible, according to the law, for the provision of interpreters and the translation of all documents needed at all relevant stages of the procedure. In principle the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for setting the standard of interpreting through its accreditation of the ‘intérprete’ or ‘traductor jurado’. For staff interpreters in the courts, the Ministry of Justice sets two translation papers and a general knowledge paper on aspects of Spanish law. But there is no oral test. In some cities, as in Madrid, there is an exam for sworn interpreters, consisting of written translations (including a legal paper) and an oral test. In Catalonia the testing of legal interpreters and translators is the responsibility of the Direcció General de Política Lingüística, part of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Both the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Office of Interpretation and Languages at the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores accredit sworn interpreters. Interpreters and translators are enrolled on the Ministry's and the Generalitat's Register, where they can be contacted, or they can be contacted from lists kept in the local law society directories. There is a National Association of Sworn Interpreters, with local branches, which is a semi-public association. It is not necessary to hold formal qualifications to be admitted as a member. [end of extract.]