Simultaneous interpretation without a booth (bidule) is a practice to be avoided because of the inherent difficulty - even at best - in producing the requisite high quality of interpretation. In exceptional cases, where such practice is unavoidable, ALL the criteria laid down must be met, namely:

• exceptional circumstances: visits to factories, hospitals and similar establishments or remote field visits
• short meetings (e.g. 2 hours)
• limited number of participants (e.g. a dozen)
• two-way equipment (i.e. 2 transmission channels and one from interpreters to participants, the other from speakers' microphones (essential) to interpreters' earphones
• compliance of such equipment with IEC914 standard.

In any case, the equipment should be under qualified technical supervision.

Members are reminded that this is not consecutive but a form of simultaneous interpretation and, as such, requires the same manning strengths.