Joshua Fishman (1993) coined the term ethno linguistic democracy to describe an ideal state in which everybody would have the possibility to receive and transmit messages in the language of their choice, without taking into account their relative power position. This situation in a multilingual community such as the European Union would be achieved through the mediation work of translators. Thus, the question arises of which system of ethical and operative norms would have to be developed in our European translation culture in order to do justice to the concept of ethno linguistic democracy. As determining factors, the author discusses existing value systems, economic potential, the degree of semiotic interdependence with other cultural systems, and the availability of those involved in translation Meta discourse. The object of this meta discourse is to develop parameters to determine the specific contribution of the translation of the cross-cultural discourse in each case.