5分钟让你了解欧洲危机

 

5分钟让你了解欧洲危机

The European sovereign debt crisis is an ongoing¹ financial crisis that has made it difficult or impossible for some countries in the euro area to re-finance their government debt without the assistance of third parties.

From late 2009, fears of a sovereign debt crisis developed among investors² as a result of the rising government debt levels around the world together with a wave of downgrading of government debt in some European states. Concerns intensified³ in early 2010 and thereafter, leading Europe's finance ministers on 9 May 2010 to approve a rescue package worth €750 billion aimed at ensuring financial stability across Europe by creating the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF). In October 2011 and February 2012, the eurozone leaders agreed on more measures designed to prevent the collapse⁴ of member economies. This included an agreement whereby banks would accept a 53.5% write-off of Greek debt owed to private creditors⁵, increasing the EFSF to about €1 trillion, and requiring European banks to achieve 9% capitalisation. To restore confidence in Europe, EU leaders also agreed to create a common fiscal⁶ union including the commitment of each participating country to introduce a balanced budget amendment⁷.

While sovereign debt has risen substantially in only a few eurozone countries, it has become a perceived problem for the area as a whole. Nevertheless, the European currency has remained stable. As of mid-November 2011, the euro was even trading slightly higher against the bloc's major trading partners than at the beginning of the crisis. The three countries most affected⁸, Greece, Ireland and Portugal, collectively account for six percent of the eurozone's gross domestic product (GDP).

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

3 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

5 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

7 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

8 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。