经济学人:喜剧贯穿闹剧?各国首领彻夜争论欧盟财政预算

　　Charlemagne

　　查理曼大帝专栏

　　No to EUsterity

　　欧盟无需紧缩

　　The European Parliament threatens to veto a hard-won budget

　　欧洲议会扬言将对来之不易的财政预算投上反对票

　　The bitterest family rows are often over money. So it is with the European Union’s leaders. For three years they have argued over who should pay what to save the euro. Earlier this month presidents and prime ministers battled through a sleepless¹ night and a day over the EU budget. Back home, some of the disputed sums might have been approved on the nod.

　　一般而言，最为激烈的家庭纠纷都围绕金钱问题。本次欧盟（European Union，EU）各国领导人亦不例外。在围绕救助欧元区的责任人以及救助金额上，这些首脑们已喋喋不休了三年之久。本月初，这些首脑再次齐聚一堂，就欧盟财政预算，彻夜不眠地争论了一天一夜。而在散会之际，大家对部分有争议的预算数额已达成共识。

　　欧盟无需紧缩.jpg

　　It is an absurd way to run the world’s biggest economy. The comedy of interminable haggling² is compounded by the farce³ of each leader twisting the numbers to claim victory. Such is the misery⁴ that the EU now draws up budgets for seven-year periods. But this is too rigid—even the Soviet⁵ Union limited itself to five-year plans. And it magnifies the sums at stake: nearly a trillion euros for 2014-20. Looked at another way, though, the budget is only about one-fiftieth of public spending in the EU. For rich countries, net contributions amount to about 0.3% of GDP.

　　作为管理世界第一经济体的手段，共同协商确实有失偏颇。一方面不休止的争论中，还如同喜剧中贯穿着闹剧般，夹杂了各国首脑为求胜利而歪曲预算金额的片段。而其结果，欧盟不得不忍着痛苦起草了长达七年之长的预算。但这一预算过于僵化，就连当初苏联（Soviet Union）所定的计划期限也仅为五年。同时，这些重要的预算金额（2014年至2020年期的预算金额约为1千亿欧元）也受到夸大。事实上，若以其他视角看来，该预算仅占约欧盟政府支出的五分之一。而对某些富裕国家，净出资仅达到约自国GDP的0.3%。

　　One reason for the budget mess is that the money comes from national treasuries⁶, creating a zero-sum game. Another is that the budget must be agreed unanimously. A third is the economic crisis. Most net contributors cannot see why the EU should be exempted⁷ from the austerity it preaches to others. And for those running deficits⁸ every pound, crown or euro sent to Brussels is an extra pound, crown or euro that must be borrowed.

　　预算如此混乱，其首要原因在于救助金来自各国政府，这将欧盟变为一场零和博弈。其次，欧盟规定财政预算只有在全体一致同意下才可通过。随后，经济危机也是原因之一。欧盟在向各国鼓吹财政紧缩的同时，自身却无需紧缩财政，这让大多救助金的净提供国感到不解。同时，对于陷入财政赤字的欧盟国家而言，所有流向欧盟的资金都必须作为救助金向其借贷。

　　As if steering⁹ a budget past 27 national vetoes were not hard enough, there is now the threat of a 28th, from the European Parliament. A rejection¹⁰ would be its most confrontational¹¹ act since it forced the resignation of Jacques Santer’s European Commission in 1999 over allegations of corruption¹². Would MEPs really dare be so bold, not to say insolent¹³?

　　而今，欧盟仿佛嫌27国以否决权协商财政预算不够艰难，欧洲议会（European Parliament）自身作为第28个拥有否决权的主体加入其中。1999年，贾克斯·桑特（Jacques Santer）为首的欧盟委员会因遭贪污指控，而在欧盟要求下全体辞职。本次欧盟否决权将是此事件以来最具威力的手段。但欧洲议会议员们是否敢于（而并不过分地）行使否决权呢？

　　Voting in the European Parliament is unpredictable. Without such notions as a government or an opposition¹⁴, party discipline is weak. One Eurocrat quips that “the whole parliament is the opposition”. The single idea that unites most MEPs is a desire for “more Europe”, which usually means more euros. Power derives¹⁵ from the ability to spend. Because the EU does not raise taxes directly or borrow, there are no votes in calls for spending cuts.

　　但欧洲议会内的投票难以预料。由于不存在所谓政府和对立的概念，议会的规矩十分松散。一位欧盟官员曾讽刺道，“整个欧洲议会全是反对派。”大多议员能团结一致的关键在于同一个想法，即“加深欧洲一体化”，通常也意味着增加欧洲资金。一切权力来源于金钱。由于欧盟并不直接征税或借入资金，欧洲议会难以通过财政削减议案。

　　MEPs were outraged¹⁶ when EU leaders decided¹⁷, for the first time, to trim the budget for 2014-20 by 3% from the previous period. This was a triumph for Britain’s prime minister, David Cameron, who also preserved his country’s much-hated rebate¹⁸. How, critics asked, could he dictate¹⁹ a budget for the whole EU, running to 2020, when Britain might not even belong after 2017, when Mr Cameron wants to hold a referendum on membership? In truth, the budget was dictated²⁰ by Angela Merkel. The German chancellor²¹ lined up with Mr Cameron against France’s Francois Hollande, who clumsily allied²² himself with the parliament. The budget ended up where she wanted it: at 1% of gross national income.

　　而本次欧盟财政问题上，各国首脑首次决定从今期开始削减2014年至2020年财政预算的3%后，欧洲议会议会十分震怒。英国首相大卫·卡梅隆在支持紧缩欧盟的同时，也推迟了国内屡遭不满的减税政策，本次决定对其而言是一大胜利。然而，评论家质疑道，根据卡梅隆所提出关于欧盟去留的全民公投，英国或许在2017年退出欧盟，那么他有何资格要求欧盟执行一项时至2020年的预算计划呢？事实上，该计划的推行者是德国总理安格拉·默克尔（Angela Merkel）。与卡梅隆结盟后，默克尔面对的是法国总统弗朗索瓦·奥朗德，而奥朗德则失败地选择了与欧洲议会联合。欧盟最终达成财政预算正如默克尔所期望的，为德国国民总收入的1%。

　　Even before the summit ended, the leaders of the four parliamentary “families” had issued a joint²³ statement declaring the deal to be unacceptable. Their leverage²⁴ is enhanced by the 2009 Lisbon treaty, which stipulates²⁵ that the budget must be approved by an absolute majority of the whole assembly (ie, absences and abstentions count as No votes). Fringe parties of left and right will probably vote against, as could several in opposition at home. French Socialists²⁶ are being urged by some in Paris to “improve” the terms secured by Mr Hollande.

　　本次欧盟峰会结束前，议会“四大家族”（译者注：欧洲议会的四大政治党团，分别是人民党、社民党、自由党和绿党）发表联合声明，表示无法接受各国首脑提出的预算计划。2009年欧盟签署的《里斯本条约》（Lisbon treaty）规定欧盟的财政预算须获得欧洲议会绝对多数票后才可通过（缺席和弃权皆算作否决票），该条约也加强了欧洲议会的权力。对于本次财政预算，正如欧洲各国反对党那般，欧洲议会内的左右翼各小党也表示反对。其中，位于法国巴黎的部分成员要求法国自由党（French Socialists）“改善”奥朗德所接受的条款。

　　A stalemate would suit a few. It would push the EU to annual budgets based on 2013 levels, producing higher spending than agreed on by the summit. Yet it would antagonise two groups: recipients²⁷ of cohesion²⁸ funds, who would struggle to plan multi-year projects, and net contributors with temporary rebates²⁹ that will lapse³⁰ without a new budget (Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden).

　　这一僵局对部分人士比较有利。欧盟的财政预算最终会被推向以2013年为基准的平均水平，进而造成高于峰会所通过的支出数额。但这样一来，两大阵营将会形成对立：一方是不断调整长期计划的被救济国，另一方则是需新财政计划以维系临时回扣的净出资国（如奥地利、德国、荷兰和瑞典）。

　　Many MEPs will come under strong pressure from national capitals. The threat of removal from party lists for next year’s European election explains why some want a secret ballot³¹, strange as that may seem. Behind the posturing³² lies a readiness to compromise. Governments hint they would accept some of the parliament’s demands, such as a commitment to review the budget in two or three years’ time or greater flexibility³³ to move money between headings and from one year to the next. Catherine Trautmann, leader of the French Socialists, says: “We seek a negotiation³⁴, not the politics of the empty chair.”

　　欧洲议会的众多议会还面临国内政府的巨大压力。由于担心明年被免除欧盟党团选举的资格，议会投票过程并不公开，哪怕该过程看似异常。在此过程背后，不难发现议员们乐意妥协。而各国政府也暗示将接受欧洲议会的部分要求，如承诺二、三年内检讨财政计划，以及在第二年内增强各国政府间资金流动性。法国社会党领袖卡特琳·特劳特曼（Catherine Trautmann）对此表示：“我们寻求协商，而非空椅子上的政治。”

　　Time to cut the CAP

　　削减CAP

　　Euro-federalists say it would all be much easier if the EU could raise taxes directly. “The Americans said no taxation³⁵ without representation. But in the EU we have representation without taxation,” complains Sylvie Goulard, a French liberal MEP. Yet most governments treat the EU as an international organisation³⁶ and want to retain control over its money.

　　欧盟支持者表示，若欧盟能直接征税，一切将容易许多。一位法籍自由党团议员Sylvie Goulard予以支持道：“美国人说过‘无代表不纳税’，而目前欧盟则是‘有代表不纳税’。”但欧洲各国都视欧盟为国际组织，不希望由其掌控资金。

　　The argument boils down to the question of where democratic legitimacy³⁷ really lies. Little-known MEPs can scarcely claim to command greater popular allegiance than national political leaders, unloved as some may be. And the European Parliament is unlikely to make itself more appealing by overruling national treasuries and parliaments, let alone seeking to exact European taxes on top of already high national ones.

　　纳税的争论最终归结为欧盟的民主法治程度为何。相比各国首脑（尽管其中部分缺乏人气），欧洲议会的无名小卒始终难以拉拢民众。同时，为了提高民众支持，欧洲议会不可能否决各国经济和政治决策，更不可能对那些已然重税缠身的国家开征欧洲税。

　　Rather than moan about marginal cuts to a small budget and pursuing the chimera³⁸ of “own resources” (eg, EU taxes on carbon or financial transactions), the parliament would do better to focus on the real outrage—that EU leaders did so little to change outdated³⁹ spending priorities. They have left close to 40% of the budget going to agriculture, an industry that generates less than 2% of GDP. Slashing⁴⁰ the CAP could release resources for areas where the EU can genuinely enhance growth, like research, education and cross-border infrastructure⁴¹. The EU could have the best of both worlds: less spending and more European value.

　　对于欧洲议会而言，与其抱怨财政预算的细微削减或寻求“自身资源”（如开征欧盟碳排放税或金融交易税等）这一幻想，不如着力于改善真正的公愤问题，即为欧洲首脑们无视的公共开支落伍的优先顺序。根据峰会达成的预算，财政支出的40%将投入农业，而该产业的产出不足于GDP的2%。若大幅削减欧洲共同农业政策（CAP），欧盟将会空出资源，以便促进其研发、教育和跨国基础设施等领域的有效发展。无论是减少财政预算，还是抬高欧洲价值，欧盟都可做到最好。

　　1.sleepless night 不眠之夜

　　例句:After a sleepless night battling with her conscience, she decided to admit the truth.

　　她和她的良心战斗了一个失眠的夜晚之后，她决定承认这个事实。

　　2.focus on 专注

　　例句:The talks will focus on economic development of the region.

　　会谈将着重讨论该地区的经济发展。

　　3.national capital 国家资本

　　例句:Thus is global financial capital eroding⁴² the autonomy of national capital.

　　这就是侵蚀国家资本自主权的国际金融资本。

　　4.gross national income 国民总收入

　　例句:In recent years, the highest growth rate in the initial distribution of gross national income is enterprises ', followed by the Government's, the residents'relatively slower.

　　近年来，我国国民总收入初次分配增速最高者是企业，政府的增速次之，而居民收入增长较慢。

1 sleepless   

adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的

参考例句：

• The situation gave her many sleepless nights.这种情况害她一连好多天睡不好觉。
• One evening I heard a tale that rendered me sleepless for nights.一天晚上，我听说了一个传闻，把我搞得一连几夜都不能入睡。

2 haggling   

v.讨价还价( haggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I left him in the market haggling over the price of a shirt. 我扔下他自己在市场上就一件衬衫讨价还价。
• Some were haggling loudly with traders as they hawked their wares. 有些人正在大声同兜售货物的商贩讲价钱。 来自辞典例句

3 farce   

n.闹剧，笑剧，滑稽戏；胡闹

参考例句：

• They played a shameful role in this farce.他们在这场闹剧中扮演了可耻的角色。
• The audience roared at the farce.闹剧使观众哄堂大笑。

4 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

5 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

6 treasuries   

n.（政府的）财政部( treasury的名词复数 )；国库，金库

参考例句：

• Yields on Treasuries, Bunds and gilts can remain at historically low levels. 美国国债、德国国债和英国国债的收益率仍然可以维持在历史低位。 来自互联网
• Treasuries and gold rose in response but the dollar fell sharply. 接着，国债和黄金的价格上涨，而美元价格则猛跌。 来自互联网

7 exempted   

使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His bad eyesight exempted him from military service. 他因视力不好而免服兵役。
• Her illness exempted her from the examination. 她因病而免试。

8 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

9 steering   

n.操舵装置

参考例句：

• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
• Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。

10 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

11 confrontational   

adj.挑衅的；对抗的

参考例句：

• Fans love rappers partly because they strike such a confrontational pose. 乐迷热爱这些饶舌艺人一定程度上是因为他们所采取的那种战斗姿态。 来自互联网
• You prefer a non confrontational approach when it comes to resolving disputes. 面对争端，你不喜欢采用对抗性的手段来解决。 来自互联网

12 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

13 insolent   

adj.傲慢的，无理的

参考例句：

• His insolent manner really got my blood up.他那傲慢的态度把我的肺都气炸了。
• It was insolent of them to demand special treatment.他们要求给予特殊待遇，脸皮真厚。

14 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

15 derives   

v.得到( derive的第三人称单数 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• English derives in the main from the common Germanic stock. 英语主要源于日耳曼语系。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derives his income from freelance work. 他以自由职业获取收入。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

17 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

18 rebate   

v./n.折扣，回扣，退款；vt.给...回扣，给...打折扣

参考例句：

• You can claim a rebate on your tax.你可以要求退回部分税款。
• Customers are to benefit from a rebate on their electricity bills.顾客将从他们的电费退费中得到实惠。

19 dictate   

v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令

参考例句：

• It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
• What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

20 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

22 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

23 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

24 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

25 stipulates   

n.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的名词复数 )；规定，明确要求v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的第三人称单数 )；规定，明确要求

参考例句：

• The trade contract stipulates for the settlement of balances in RMB. 贸易合同规定余额以人民币结算。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The contract stipulates for the use of seasoned timber. 合同上订明用干透的木料。 来自辞典例句

26 socialists   

社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The socialists saw themselves as true heirs of the Enlightenment. 社会主义者认为自己是启蒙运动的真正继承者。
• The Socialists junked dogma when they came to office in 1982. 社会党人1982年上台执政后，就把其政治信条弃之不顾。

27 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

28 cohesion   

n.团结，凝结力

参考例句：

• I had to bring some cohesion into the company.我得使整个公司恢复凝聚力。
• The power of culture is deeply rooted in the vitality,creativity and cohesion of a nation. 文化的力量，深深熔铸在民族的生命力、创造力和凝聚力之中。

29 rebates   

n.退还款( rebate的名词复数 )；回扣；返还（退还的部份货价）；折扣

参考例句：

• The VAT system offers advantages, such as rebates on exports. 增值税有其优点，如对出口商品实行回扣。 来自辞典例句
• In more recent years rate rebates have been introduced for households. 近年地方税的减免已适用于家庭。 来自辞典例句

30 lapse   

n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效

参考例句：

• The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。
• I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。

31 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

32 posturing   

做出某种姿势( posture的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She was posturing a model. 她正在摆模特儿的姿势。
• She says the President may just be posturing. 她说总统也许只是在做样子而已。

33 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

34 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

35 taxation   

n.征税，税收，税金

参考例句：

• He made a number of simplifications in the taxation system.他在税制上作了一些简化。
• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。

36 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

37 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

38 chimera   

n.神话怪物；梦幻

参考例句：

• Religious unity remained as much a chimera as ever.宗教统一仍然和从前一样，不过是个妄想。
• I am fighting against my chimera.我在与狂想抗争。

39 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

40 slashing   

adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Slashing is the first process in which liquid treatment is involved. 浆纱是液处理的第一过程。 来自辞典例句
• He stopped slashing his horse. 他住了手，不去鞭打他的马了。 来自辞典例句

41 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

42 eroding   

侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的现在分词 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• The coast is slowly eroding. 海岸正慢慢地被侵蚀。
• Another new development is eroding the age-old stereotype of the male warrior. 另一个新现象是，久已形成的男人皆武士的形象正逐渐消失。