美国补贴导致欧洲“分裂”(上)

United States divided Europe.

美国分裂了欧洲。

America's green subsidies are causing headaches in Europe.

美国的绿色补贴让欧洲头疼不已。

For years, Europe has nagged the world to follow its lead in cutting carbon emissions.

多年来，欧洲一直在催促世界各国加入欧洲的行列，共同削减碳排放。

In August America's federal government at last heeded its advice; President Joe Biden signed a jumbo package of green subsidies.

8月，美国联邦政府终于听从了它的建议；乔·拜登总统签署了一项大规模绿色补贴一揽子计划。

Far from pleasing Europe, the "Inflation Reduction Act" (IRA), which will dole out $369bn in corporate bungs as early as January, has caused a transatlantic spat.

该计划《通货膨胀削减法案》（IRA）将在最早明年1月发放3690亿美元的企业补贴，此举非但没有取悦欧洲，反而引发了大西洋两岸的口角。

Talk of a trade war pitting Europe against America is brewing even as both are allies in a real war in Ukraine.

尽管欧洲和美国都是乌克兰在战争中真正的盟友，但有关美欧贸易战的讨论正在酝酿之中。

By mimicking policies that many Europeans favour, America has stoked strife among its friends.

美国对许多欧洲人支持的政策的模仿，在其盟友间激起了冲突。

Europe wants America to go green, but not like this.

欧洲希望美国走向绿色发展，但不是以这种方式。

The primary gripe of the EU, which deals with matters of trade on behalf of its 27 member states, is that vast swathes of the IRA are earmarked for companies making stuff in America (or its immediate neighbours, Canada and Mexico).

欧盟代表其27个成员国处理贸易方面的事务，对于《通货膨胀削减法案》，欧盟主要的不满在于，它的大部分资金都指定提供给在美国（或其近邻加拿大和墨西哥）制造产品的公司。

Electric cars assembled in North America, for example, will qualify for a tax break worth up to $7,500; those even part-made in Europe will get nothing.

例如，仅仅在北美组装的电动汽车将有资格享受高达7500美元的税收减免；而部分配件在欧洲生产的汽车却什么也得不到。

This breaches free-trading principles that are supposed to bind all members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

这违反了本应约束世界贸易组织（WTO）所有成员国的自由贸易原则。

Americans understand Europe's frustration but are unapologetic.

美国理解欧洲的挫败感，但却对此毫无歉意。

The protectionist bits are popular with union-backed Democratic lawmakers.

法案中保护主义的部分受到了有工会支持的民主党议员的欢迎。

Without them, Mr. Biden's team would not have been able to wrestle the bill through Congress, insiders say.

内部人士称，如果没有他们，拜登团队就无法让国会通过该法案。

Better an imperfect deal than none at all.

一笔不完美的交易总比什么都没有强。

And it takes chutzpah for Europe to object to a blend of protectionism, subsidies and statist visions of what industries ought to look like.

欧洲需要无所顾忌地反对保护主义、补贴和中央集权主义对行业规范提出的愿景。

Such things are not exactly rare on the old continent.

在这片古老的大陆上，这样的事情并不少见。

Europe has never been thrilled when WTO norms are flouted: to its credit, it does tend to follow them.

公然藐视世贸组织准则的行为总会让欧洲感到不满：值得称赞的是，欧洲确实倾向于遵循这些准则。

For a while, it was prepared to look the other way, deeming a little rule-bending an acceptable price for getting America to cut carbon more ferociously.

也有一段时间，欧洲打算无视准则，认为如果美国能更大幅度地削减碳排放，这就是可以接受的代价。

But its patience is now exhausted.

但现在，欧洲的耐心已经耗尽了。

In recent weeks several European industrial giants have unveiled plans to invest in America, rather than at home.

最近几周，几家欧洲工业巨头公布了其投资计划，决定在美国，而不是在欧洲国内进行投资。

Who can blame them?

这怎么能怪他们呢？

Energy has become much costlier in Europe, especially since Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine in February.

欧洲的能源越来越昂贵，尤其是在今年2月，俄罗斯的坦克开进乌克兰之后。

One reason is that Europe has agreed with America to impose tough sanctions on Vladimir Putin's regime, which has prompted Russia to cut off almost all gas deliveries.

原因之一是，由于欧洲同意美国对普京政权实施严厉制裁，俄罗斯切断了几乎所有对欧洲的天然气输送。

Europe suffers far more from this than the land of the free and the home of the frackers.

比起自由人的土地和水力压裂公司的故乡，欧洲在这方面遭受的痛苦要大得多。

To European politicians, it rankles that European factories are threatened not only by Russian revanchism but also by Uncle Sam's subsidies.

令欧洲政客恼火的是，欧洲工厂不仅受到俄罗斯复仇主义的威胁，还受到美国补贴的威胁。

America and Europe are close allies geopolitically.

美国和欧洲在地缘政治上是亲密的盟友。

Economically they increasingly look like foes.

而从经济上看，他们越来越像敌人。

Europe is still hoping America will water down the IRA's protectionist elements.

欧洲仍然希望美国能够淡化《通货膨胀削减法案》中的保护主义元素。

France's president, Emmanuel Macron, has been making the case this week while on a state visit to America; officials are meeting behind the scenes to see if the fine print can be tweaked.

法国总统马克龙本周对美国进行国事访问期间提出了这一观点；官员们在幕后开会，看看是否可以对其中的细则进行调整。

But anything beyond cosmetic change seems unlikely.

但除了表面变化，似乎不太可能做出任何实质性改变。

That will leave Europe having to respond.

欧洲不得不对此做出回应。

None of its options looks good, and each would divide the EU in a different way.

它面临的选择看起来都不太好，而且都会以不同的方式分裂欧盟。