This article explores the relationship between language and power in the EU and discusses the possibilities of studying this relationship with the analytical tools provided by Translation Studies. It presents the central institutions of the EU and the language services which cater for them. It discusses the rationale behind the policy of multilingualism and the many practical challenges which the execution of this policy poses for administrators, translators, interpreters and translation scholars alike. It also discusses to what degree practice in the EU corresponds with the ideal of multilingualism and equality of languages. This discussion includes deliberations on the influence of the increasing use of machine translation. In a final instance, the article looks to the future, where the admission of up to thirteen new countries poses great challenges to the existing structures and practices, and discusses different suggestions to change the language policy of the EU and how it can be studied.