EU summit ends with no deal, budget talks postponed

 BRUSSELS, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Negotiations¹ on the European Union's trillion-euro budget framework for 2014-2020 have been postponed² until early 2013 after a two-day special summit ended here Friday without a deal.

"Based on my proposal, there is no agreement," European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said in a press conference, referring to an 80-billion-euro (103.2 billion U.S. dollars) cut from the European Commission's original proposal of one-trillion-euro spending program.

The summit still showed a sufficient degree of potential convergence to make an agreement possible in the beginning of next year, the president added.

He has been mandated³ by EU member states to continue working towards consensus⁴ in the coming weeks, together with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

"There is an interest in compromise. The costs of no agreement will be huge, including political, economic and social costs," Barroso said in the same press conference.

The so-called multiannual financial framework is to decide the ceiling and structure of EU spending over a seven-year period, which also shapes the bloc's policy priorities, although its actual budget is decided⁵ annually⁶ in separate negotiations.

It only accounts for about one percent of the EU's gross domestic product and is mainly used for agricultural and infrastructure⁷ projects in southern and poorer regions. There has been a major clash between net contributors of the budget and net recipients⁸ at a time of three-year debt crisis.

In particular, British Prime Minister David Cameron insisted on cutting "unaffordable spending", adding that Van Rompuy's proposal was not good enough for his country and many others.

A source of both solidarity⁹ and tension, the EU budget reflects the conflict of national interests, as well as opposing arguments on how to fix the crisis and save Europe's future.

However, Van Rompuy emphasized that it would be a budget for growth, as agreed by all EU leaders, focusing on jobs, innovation and research.

If no deal can be reached by the end of next year, the 2013 budget ceiling will be rolled over into 2014 with two-percent inflation adjustment, which may bring much uncertainty¹⁰ for long-term projects.

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• 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。

2 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

3 mandated   

adj. 委托统治的

参考例句：

• Mandated desegregation of public schools. 命令解除公立学校中的种族隔离
• Britain was mandated to govern the former colony of German East Africa. 英国受权代管德国在东非的前殖民地。

4 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

5 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。

6 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

7 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。

8 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》

9 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

10 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。