2007年VOA标准英语-European Union Opens Its Market to 80 Countries

By Teri Schultz
Brussels
16 May 2007

The European Union has agreed to grant duty-free and quota-free market access to some 80 countries from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) areas. There is still much debate on both sides of the accord, but EU leaders are hailing it as important progress. Teri Schultz has more from Brussels.

With the new market access offer, the European Union and the ACP - African, Caribbean and Pacific - group have reached one step closer to a trade deal before the current accord expires at year's end.

EU development ministers meeting in Brussels Tuesday confirmed a proposal made last month by the European Commission that would drop tariffs¹ and quotas² on ACP goods once a new trade agreement is signed.

Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul (file photo)

German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, who chaired the meeting, said this decision will have a positive impact on other development issues.

"We'll be freeing up ACP access to our markets to a very great extent," saidHeidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul. "I think this is a good signal."

There will be special treatment for products considered highly sensitive - so far that includes sugar and rice - which will have their tariffs scaled back gradually to give industries more time to adjust.

For example, sugar brought into the EU would have its import duties phased out by the year 2015 The transition period for rice has not yet been established. Bananas are widely expected to join that list but ministers put off that decision for now.

Eventually the EU wants reciprocal benefits to be in place for European goods in African markets, but Minister Wieczorek-Zeul told ACP countries they should not be intimidated³ by this.

"We have no designs on ACP markets in light of the development requirements of ACP countries," she said. "There will be the need for flexibility⁴ and ACP countries may have waivers, safeguard measures and particular periods of time of transitional periods for particularly sensitive products."

She noted⁵ that some countries' transition periods may last up to 25 years!

EU and ACP leaders meet again in Brussels on May 25 to try to move forward on the overarching trade deal.

1 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• 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。

2 quotas   

（正式限定的）定量( quota的名词复数 )； 定额； 指标； 摊派

参考例句：

• In fulfilling the production quotas, John made rings round all his fellow workers. 约翰完成生产定额大大超过他的同事们。
• Quotas of the means of production are allocated by the higher administrative bodies to the lower ones. 物资指标按隶属关系分配。

3 intimidated   

v.恐吓；威胁adj.害怕的；受到威胁的

参考例句：

• We try to make sure children don't feel intimidated on their first day at school. 我们努力确保孩子们在上学的第一天不胆怯。
• The thief intimidated the boy into not telling the police. 这个贼恫吓那男孩使他不敢向警察报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。