越南与欧盟贸易谈判“充满希望”
时间：2018-12-08 作者：英语课 分类：2015年VOA慢速英语(十二)月
Vietnam, EU Trade Deal Talks Look Hopeful 越南与欧盟贸易谈判“充满希望”
Vietnamese could buy Italian machinery 1 and Austrians could wear more athletic 2 shoes from Vietnam.
That is because Vietnam is moving closer to reaching a trade deal with the European Union.
Negotiations 3 ended December 2. For Vietnam, the agreement would diversify 4 its trade with nations other than China and the U.S. For Europe, it would increase trade in Asia when attention has centered on the huge, U.S.-supported Trans Pacific Partnership 5 (TPP).
EU officials have praised the Vietnam deal. They say it removes 99 percent of tariffs 6. The deal would be the EU’s first with a developing country. It also could serve as a model for future free trade agreements.
Simon van der Burg is the Dutch Consul 7 General in Ho Chi Minh City. He told the European Chamber 8 of Commerce that the deal, “Sets the reference for others in Southeast Asia.
The proposed agreement requires communist Vietnam to reform state-run companies and strengthen environmental protection. It also links commerce with development aid.
EU trade negotiator Jana Herceg said Vietnam would receive support to increase technology that preserves the environment. Support also would be aimed at the energy, health care and tourism industries.
She said, “The money or the funds which we are giving to Vietnam are broader than just the capacity building related to the free trade agreement.”
Economist 9 Dennis McCornac at Loyola University in Maryland questions if the agreement is good for Vietnam. He says the European agreement is less centered on business compared with the 12-nation TPP trade deal. He criticized the TPP as written by corporate 10 supporters.
But both agreements are expected to increase the cost of medicine in developing countries. This is because of stronger rules for patents that will prevent copying. It will extend market rights to makers 11 of some medicines.
“It really is the case that it’s going to hurt the poor people, those who can’t afford the drugs,” McCornac said.
The European Union has tried to reach a single trade agreement with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. But those efforts failed.
The EU then changed is strategy, and is negotiating deals with individual governments. Singapore was the first to reach an agreement, followed by Vietnam. Jana Herceg said if the Vietnam deal is finalized 12, it could set an example and speed up talks with other parties. These could include the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand.
Herceg predicts the EU-Vietnam agreement will be published by January. Vietnam has been seeking deals with many nations. including South Korea and Israel.
Words in This Story
diversify –v. to add different kinds of people or things
commerce –n. activities related to buying and selling goods
reference –n a source that can be looked to for information about something
patents –n. official permission giving a person or company the right to be the only one to make or sell a product
- Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
- Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。
- This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
- He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。
- negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
- Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。
- Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
- Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。
- The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
- Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。
- British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
- The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。
- A consul's duty is to help his own nationals.领事的职责是帮助自己的同胞。
- He'll hold the post of consul general for the United States at Shanghai.他将就任美国驻上海总领事(的职务)。
- For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
- The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。
- He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
- He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。
- This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
- His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。