VOA常速英语:Brexit Talks Down to the Wire as EU Faces Budget Crisis

Two-way trade between Britain and the EU is worth eight hundred and eighty five billion dollars a year.
英国和欧盟之间的双边贸易每年价值8850亿美元.
Fish make up less than half of one percent of that trade,
渔业在贸易中所占比例不到0.5%，
but disagreements over fishing rights could yet torpedo any trade deal.
但在捕鱼权问题上的分歧可能会破坏任何贸易协议。
Britain says it wants to take back control of its waters and restrict access to foreign boats,
英国表示，它希望夺回对其水域的控制权，并限制外国船只进入，
that could devastate European fishing fleets.
这可能会摧毁欧洲渔船队。
If we cant fish in the English waters, there is no Belgian fishing anymore,
如果我们不能在英国水域捕鱼，就不再有比利时捕鱼队了。
because eighty percent of the time, sometimes ninety percent of the time,we fish in English waters, all the Belgian ships.
因为80%的时间，有时是90%的时间我们在英国水域捕鱼，都是比利时船只。
It may appear Britain has the upper hand, but theres a big catch.
英国似乎占了上风，但这里有一个大问题。
Most British-caught fish are exported to Europe,
大多数英国捕到的鱼都出口到欧洲，
and the EU could put tariffs on those imports, hitting British fisherman hard.
欧盟可能会对这些进口产品征收关税，这将给英国渔民带来沉重打击。
A trade deal is being held up by this fishing dispute,
一项贸易协议因渔业纠纷而受阻，
but there are also disagreements on State aid and on the system of governance that will oversee any trade deal.
但在国家援助和监管贸易协议的治理体系方面也存在分歧。
With the end of the transition period just six weeks away, talks are going to the wire.
再过六个星期，过渡时期就结束了，谈判即将进入最后阶段。
Although the deadline is the end of the year, the 31st December, when the transition period ends.
虽然最后期限是年底，但过渡时期结束的时候是12月31日。
You need a bit of time for ratification of any agreement.
批准任何协议都需要一点时间。
So both sides see a breakthrough is needed in the coming days.
因此，双方都认为，未来几天需要取得突破。
Even if a deal is struck, Britain will still leave the EUs Single Market and Customs Union.
即使达成协议，英国仍将离开欧盟的单一市场和关税联盟。
Theres a lot of change on the 1st of January, deal or no deal.
交易达不达成，在1月1日都有很多变化。
The danger for the government is if the prime minister brings home a deal,
政府面临的危险是，如果首相达成协议，
and says this is a great deal, then he owns any disruption.
说这是一笔大买卖，然后他坐实造成了破坏。
Meanwhile, British prime minister Boris Johnson has been hit by domestic political turmoil as two political aides have departed.
与此同时，由于两名政治助手离职，英国首相鲍里斯·约翰逊受到国内政治动荡的打击。
Johnson is also having to self-isolate after meeting an MP who later tested positive for the coronavirus.
在会见了一名后来被检测为冠状病毒阳性的议员后，约翰逊还不得不进行自我隔离。
The EU is also disrupted by its own domestic agenda.
欧盟也被自己的内部议程打乱了。
Hungary and Poland this week vetoed an agreement on the blocs annual budget,
匈牙利和波兰本周否决了欧盟年度预算协议，
and then eight hundred and eighty eight billion dollar COVID recovery fund
然后是8880亿美元的COVID恢复基金
Analysts say theres a danger that Brexit deal could be sidelined at Thursdays summit,
分析人士表示，英国退欧协议有可能在周四的峰会上被搁置，
as the EU deals with more pressing concerns.
欧盟正在处理更紧迫的问题。
Henry Ridgewell for VOA news London.
VOA新闻，亨利?里奇维尔伦敦报道。