Terms and Conditions - Babel Bridge
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Terms and Conditions

1. Scope of Application and Contracting Parties

1.1 Service Provider

Business Name: Babel Bridge
Legal Form: Sole Proprietorship under the applicable law of the Republic of Albania
Registered in: Albania
VAT ID (NUIS): M52129002B
Address: Rruga e Kosovarëve, Nd. 11, H. 2, Ap. 4, 1019 Tirana, Albania
E-Mail: info@babel-bridge.net

1.2 Scope

These General Terms and Conditions (hereinafter “GTC”) apply to all contracts between Babel Bridge (hereinafter “Service Provider” or “we”) and clients (hereinafter “Client” or “you”) relating to:

  • Classic translation services: Offer-based translations and certification services following individual order placement.
  • Interpreting services: Oral translations (consecutive, simultaneous, and escort interpreting).
  • Online ordering service “Order Translations Online”: Web-based self-service portal for automated order processing via https://babel-bridge.net.

1.3 Applicable Law

All contractual relationships are governed exclusively by the law of the Republic of Albania. This follows from the registered place of business and its registration as a sole proprietorship under Albanian law. The provisions of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) do not apply.

The following laws apply in particular to the services offered:
  • Law No. 82/2021 “On official translation and the profession of official translator” of the Republic of Albania.
  • Law No. 124/2024 “On the protection of personal data” (in force from 31 January 2025).
  • Law No. 25/2018 “On accounting and financial statements”.
  • Law No. 92/2014 “On value added tax”.

2. Conclusion of Contract

2.1 Classic Translation and Interpreting Services

The contract is concluded upon order confirmation by the Service Provider. Offers made by the Service Provider are non-binding and subject to change, unless expressly designated as binding. Order confirmation is effected by e-mail or in text form.

2.2 Online Ordering Service

When using the online ordering service, the contract is concluded as follows:

      1. a)Ordering by the Client:
        • The Client uploads documents via the web portal.
        • The Client selects translation options (language direction, subject field, translation type, delivery method, etc.).
        • Upon clicking the button to upload material and calculate the price, the system performs an automatic OCR analysis to count characters, calculating the total price based on the selected options.
        • The Client enters contact and billing details.
        • By clicking the “Order now with payment obligation” button, the Client submits a binding offer.

          1. b)Payment authorisation:
            • The Client is redirected to the payment page (credit/debit card or PayPal).
            • The payment system authorises the amount to be paid (Authorise procedure).
            • At this point, the payment is not yet collected but merely reserved.

            1. c)Conclusion of contract:
              The contract is concluded only upon acceptance by Babel Bridge, which occurs through:
              • Assignment of the order to a translator via the Translator Dashboard, or
              • Express order confirmation by e-mail.

        After the order enters the Babel Bridge system, the Client receives an automatic e-mail acknowledging receipt of the order request (referred to as an “order request”, as it has not yet been accepted by a translator), which does not yet constitute acceptance of the contract.

3. Payment Terms

3.1 Payment Methods

Babel Bridge accepts the following payment methods:
  • Credit/debit card (via our payment service provider)
  • PayPal
  • Bank transfer (for classic services by arrangement only)

3.2 Authorise-Capture Procedure (Online Ordering Service)

Phase 1 – Authorisation (Authorise):
  • Upon placing the order, the payment amount is authorised (reserved) on the Client’s credit/debit card or PayPal account.
  • The amount is not yet debited at this point.
  • Authorisation serves to verify payment ability and secure the order.

Phase 2 – Pending status:
  • The order is in “awaiting translator assignment” status.
  • The payment authorisation remains valid.
  • Babel Bridge verifies the availability of qualified translators.
  • Babel Bridge verifies the uploaded documents for completeness and processability.

Phase 3 – Payment collection (Capture):
  • Actual payment collection only occurs when:
    • a qualified translator has accepted the order, and
    • the documents have been verified and confirmed as processable.
  • Only from this point is the amount actually debited from the credit/debit card or PayPal account.

3.3 Classic Services

For classic translation and interpreting services, payment is made:
  • After order confirmation as advance payment, or
  • After completion of the service by invoice with a payment term of 30 days.

3.4 Value Added Tax (VAT)

All prices stated are final prices. VAT is not shown separately. In the event of exceeding the statutory threshold, Babel Bridge reserves the right to show and charge VAT.

4. Service Provider's Right to Cancel

4.1 Grounds for Cancellation

Babel Bridge reserves the right to cancel an order unilaterally if any of the following grounds arise:
  1. a)Lack of available translators:
    • No qualified translators are available for the selected language combination.
    • All available translators have declined the order.
    • The desired delivery deadline cannot be met.
  2. b)Volume discrepancy:
    • The actual volume of the uploaded material differs significantly from the values calculated by the system (deviation > 15 %).
    • The selected options (e.g. subject field, translation type) do not match the actual content of the documents.
    • The OCR analysis was unable to perform a reliable or realistic character count.
  3. c)Impermissible content in the online order:
    • The documents contain sensitive or classified government information.
    • The content is compromising, unlawful, dangerous or unethical.
    • The documents contain extremist content or hate speech.
    • The materials infringe third-party copyrights.
    • Processing would conflict with applicable Albanian law.
  4. d)Technical reasons:
    • The uploaded files are corrupted or unreadable.
    • The file formats are incompatible and cannot be converted.
    • The image quality of scanned documents is insufficient for OCR analysis.
  5. e)Payment reasons:
    • The payment authorisation has failed.
    • The payment details are invalid or have expired.

4.2 Cancellation Procedure

Cancellation is effected by written notification (e-mail) to the Client. Babel Bridge is not obliged to disclose the specific reason for cancellation if this is prevented by data protection, security or business reasons.

4.3 Refund upon Cancellation

If payment has already been collected (Capture completed), the full amount paid will be refunded. The refund is initiated immediately, but no later than within 14 days of cancellation.

Important: Actual crediting to the Client’s account may take longer depending on the payment service provider: Credit card: 5 – 10 working days (depending on the bank) · PayPal: 2 – 5 working days. Processing time is outside our sphere of influence and is the responsibility of the respective payment service provider.

4.4 No Costs for the Client

In the event of cancellation by Babel Bridge, the Client incurs no costs or fees. There is no entitlement to compensation or reimbursement of expenses.

5. Service Description

5.1 Translation Services

  1. a)Standard translation:
    Written translation of the source text into the target language, taking into account meaning, style and professional accuracy.
  2. b)Certified translation in accordance with German practice:
    Translation with the stamp and signature of a sworn or authorised translator. This corresponds to the common practice in Germany for certified translations (beglaubigte Übersetzungen).
  3. c)Certified translation in accordance with Albanian practice:
    In Albania, a certified translation (“notarised translation”) means that the translator’s stamp and signature must be additionally certified by a notary. The notary certifies the authenticity of the stamp, signature and identity of the translator through their physical presence and presentation of an identity document or translator’s licence.Important: Babel Bridge does not provide this notarial certification step directly. Notarial certification is the Client’s responsibility. However, Babel Bridge can recommend cooperating notary offices that offer this service.
  4. d)Specialist translations:
    Translations specialising in specific fields (e.g. medicine, law, technology, economics, etc.). The price surcharge for specialist translations is transparently indicated during the price calculation process.

5.2 Interpreting Services

Oral translation in various forms:
  • Consecutive interpreting: The interpreter translates paragraph by paragraph/segment by segment.
  • Simultaneous interpreting: Real-time translation during speech.
  • Escort interpreting: Accompaniment at meetings, administrative proceedings, etc.

5.3 Delivery of the Translation

Digital delivery (standard):
  • By e-mail as a PDF document.
  • Free of charge.
  • Delivery within a reasonable timeframe for the material volume after order acceptance (unless otherwise agreed).

Physical delivery:
Available for Germany and Albania with the following options:
  • By post (Germany): According to the options currently offered on the portal.
  • By post (Albania): According to the options currently offered on the portal.

Important: No liability for delivery services. Babel Bridge accepts no liability for loss, damage or delay during physical delivery by third parties (postal services, couriers, etc.). Liability for physical delivery lies with the respective delivery service. For delivery problems, please contact the respective service directly.

5.4 Clarification Regarding "24–48 Hour" Deadlines (Important Notice)

The deadlines published on our website with the note “within 24 to 48 hours¹” are subject to the following cumulative conditions:

  • Agreement: An express prior written agreement (by e-mail) is required.
  • Fee: This express service is offered against an additional fee (extra charge).
  • Time calculation: The deadline begins only from the moment of express order confirmation by e-mail from Babel Bridge.
  • Volume: This deadline applies only to documents with a maximum volume of 10 (ten) standard pages.

6. Quality Assurance and Complaints

6.1 Quality Standards

Babel Bridge works exclusively with qualified translators who operate in accordance with the requirements of Law No. 82/2021. All translations are prepared according to professional and linguistic quality criteria.

6.2 Client's Duty to Inspect

The Client is obliged to inspect the delivered translation immediately upon receipt for possible errors or defects. The inspection period is 2 weeks from delivery of the translation (receipt of e-mail, or delivery date in the case of physical delivery).

6.3 Complaint Period

Complaints must be submitted to Babel Bridge in writing (e-mail suffices) within the 2-week period, with a precise description of the defect. After expiry of the complaint period, the translation is deemed accepted and in conformity with the contract.

6.4 Rectification (Correction)

In the event of justified and timely complaints, the Client is entitled to:
  • Free-of-charge rectification (correction of the defective parts), or,
  • in the event of serious defects, a new translation.
Rectification is carried out within a reasonable period.

6.5 Exclusion of Warranty after Expiry of Period

After expiry of the 2-week complaint period, changes or adaptations to the translation are only possible upon placement of a new, separate order under the conditions applicable at that time.

7. Data Protection and Data Storage

7.1 Legal Basis

Data protection at Babel Bridge is based on Law No. 124/2024 “On the protection of personal data”, which entered into force on 31 January 2025 and has been fully harmonised with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

7.2 Collection and Processing of Personal Data

Babel Bridge collects and processes the following personal data:
  1. a)Client data:
    • First and last name
    • E-mail address
    • Telephone number (optional)
    • Address (for physical delivery and invoices)
    • Company name (where applicable)
  2. b)Order data:
    • Uploaded documents (source material)
    • Translations (end product)
    • Order details (language combination, options, prices)
  3. c)Payment data:
    • Transaction data is processed exclusively by our payment service providers.
    • Babel Bridge does not store complete credit card details.
    • Only transaction IDs and payment status are stored.

7.3 Purpose of Data Processing

Processing is carried out exclusively for the following purposes:
  • Contract performance and service provision.
  • Billing and payment processing.
  • Communication with the Client.
  • Compliance with statutory retention obligations.
  • Quality assurance and complaint handling.

7.4 Retention Periods

  1. a)Client data:
    Client data (name, contact details, billing details) is stored for a period of 10 years after completion of the last order. This retention period follows from Albanian statutory obligations for the retention of commercial documents (Law No. 25/2018).
    After expiry of the 10-year period, all client data is completely and irrevocably deleted, unless other statutory retention obligations prevent this (e.g. ongoing legal proceedings).
  2. b)Order materials (documents and translations):
    Uploaded source documents and created translations are stored for a period of 2 weeks after delivery of the translation.
    • Purpose of the 2-week storage period:
      This period serves to enable the performance of short-term corrections or adjustments to the end product, without requiring the Client to place a new separate order. This enables efficient complaint handling within the warranty period.
    • Automatic deletion:
      After expiry of the 2-week period, all order materials (source documents and translations) are automatically and completely deleted from our system. Recovery is no longer possible after this point.
Important: Babel Bridge is not obliged to notify Clients separately of the imminent expiry of the retention period. The Client bears sole responsibility for storing the delivered translation within the 2-week period and for inspecting it for possible defects.

7.5 Rights of Data Subjects

Pursuant to Law No. 124/2024, Clients have the following rights:

  1. a)Right of access:
    You have the right to obtain information about the personal data stored with us.
  2. b)Right to rectification:
    You have the right to request the rectification of inaccurate data or the completion of incomplete data.
  3. c)Right to erasure (“Right to be forgotten”):
    You may request the deletion of your personal data if:
    • The data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.
    • You withdraw your consent and no other legal basis exists.
    • No statutory retention obligations prevent deletion.
  4. d)Right to restriction of processing:
    You may request that the processing of your data be restricted.
  5. e)Right to data portability:
    You have the right to receive your data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.
  6. f)Right to object:
    You may object to the processing of your data on grounds relating to your particular situation.
  7. g)Right to lodge a complaint:
    You have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority:

    Authority: Komisioneri për të Drejtën e Informimit dhe Mbrojtjen e të Dhënave Personale (Albanian Commissioner for Data Protection)
    Address: Rr. “Abdi Toptani”, Nd. 5, 1001 Tirana, Albania
    E-Mail: info@idp.al
    Telephone: +355 4 2237200

7.6 Data Security

Babel Bridge has implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss, destruction or alteration. These include:
  • SSL/TLS encryption during data transmission
  • Encrypted storage of sensitive data
  • Access restrictions and authentication
  • Regular security updates and backups

7.7 Notification Obligation in the Event of Data Breaches

In the event of a personal data breach, we will notify the competent supervisory authority pursuant to Art. 33 GDPR within 72 hours and, where necessary, inform affected Clients if there is a high risk to their rights and freedoms.

8. Liability and Liability Limitations

8.1 Liability for Translation Services

Babel Bridge is not liable for the accuracy and professional quality of the translation, as this falls within the competence of the official translator. The relevant statutory provisions apply. Liability is limited to cases of intent and gross negligence.

8.2 Exclusion of Liability for Delivery Services

Babel Bridge accepts no liability for loss, damage, delay or other problems during physical delivery of documents by third parties (postal services, couriers). In the event of delivery problems, the Client must assert their claims directly against the respective delivery service.

8.3 Exclusion of Liability for Technical Faults

Babel Bridge is not liable for damage caused by: force majeure, internet outages, server-side problems, faults with payment service providers, and OCR software malfunctions, insofar as these are outside our sphere of influence.

8.4 Exclusion of Liability for Third-Party Content

Babel Bridge accepts no liability for the accuracy, completeness or lawfulness of documents uploaded by the Client. The Client bears sole responsibility for ensuring that the documents do not contain copyright infringements or other legal violations.

8.5 Liability as a Sole Proprietorship

As a sole proprietorship under the applicable law of the Republic of Albania, Babel Bridge is liable within the framework of the statutory provisions of the Civil Code. In the event of warranty or damages claims, liability is limited to the order value, except in cases of intent or gross negligence.

8.6 Liability for Data Loss

After expiry of the 2-week storage period for order materials (see point 7.4 b), Babel Bridge accepts no liability for data loss. The Client bears sole responsibility for making backup copies of translations in good time.

9. Intellectual Property and Rights of Use

9.1 Copyright in the Translation

The created translation is a work protected by copyright within the meaning of the copyright law (Law No. 35/2016). Copyright in the translation belongs to the respective translator or Babel Bridge.

9.2 Client's Rights of Use

Upon full payment of the order, the Client acquires a non-exclusive, temporally and geographically unlimited right of use in the translation for the agreed purposes.
The Client has the right to:
  • Use the translation for its intended purpose.
  • Reproduce and distribute the translation.
  • Present the translation to authorities, courts or other institutions.

9.3 Restrictions

Without the express written consent of the translator as author or of Babel Bridge, the Client is not entitled to:
  • Present the translation as their own work.
  • Resell or commercially exploit the translation (except for the originally agreed purpose).
  • Process the translation and present it as a new translation.

10. Competent Court and Final Provisions

10.1 Competent Court

The competent court for all disputes arising from or in connection with these GTC and the contracts based thereon is the Court of First Instance of General Jurisdiction in Tirana, insofar as the Client is a trader, legal person under public law or a special fund under public law.

10.2 Applicable Law

Exclusively the law of the Republic of Albania applies, excluding the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG).

10.3 Dispute Resolution

The European Commission provides a platform for online dispute resolution (ODR), accessible at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/. We are neither obliged nor willing to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.

10.4 Severability Clause

Should individual provisions of these GTC be or become invalid or unenforceable, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions. In place of the invalid or unenforceable provision, a valid provision shall apply that comes closest to the economic purpose of the invalid provision.

10.5 Amendments to the GTC

Babel Bridge reserves the right to amend these GTC at any time. Amendments will be communicated to Clients by e-mail or published on the website. They are deemed approved if the Client does not object within four weeks of notification.

10.6 Language Version

These GTC are drawn up in the Albanian language. In the event of doubt regarding translated versions of these GTC, the Albanian version shall prevail.

11. Contact and Customer Service

For questions regarding these GTC, your order or data protection matters, please contact us at:
  • E-Mail: info@babel-bridge.net
  • Website: https://babel-bridge.net

Complaints and claims:
  • Please submit complaints within the 2-week period to the e-mail address stated above.

  • GTC Version: 01 January 2026
  • Last updated: 15 May 2026

Annex: Key Legal Bases

These GTC are based on the following Albanian legal provisions:
  • Law No. 82/2021 “On official translation and the profession of official translator”
  • Law No. 124/2024 “On the protection of personal data”, in force from 31 January 2025
  • Law No. 25/2018 “On accounting and financial statements”, in particular Art. 29 on the 10-year retention obligation
  • Law No. 92/2014 “On value added tax”
  • Law No. 35/2016 “On copyright and other related rights”

The full texts of the laws are available at: https://qbz.gov.al (Official Gazette of the Republic of Albania)