您向我们发送了有关首相与欧盟建立更密切关系的计划的问题。我们的加拿大分社社长回答了他们。
You sent us your questions about the prime minister’s plan to form a closer relationship with the European Union. Our Canada bureau chief answers them.
上个月，在总理马克·卡尼访问法国斯特拉斯堡的欧洲议会并宣布加拿大和欧盟将建立更密切的关系后，我们向您询问了有关该主题的问题。
Last month, after Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, and announced that Canada and the European Union would pursue a closer relationship, we asked for your questions about the topic.
在我们最近对卡尼先生进行的一小时采访中，他广泛谈论了他对这段新关系的愿景。我们的布鲁塞尔分社社长珍妮特·斯迈莱克（Jeanna Smialek）获得了欧盟和加拿大本月底在蒙特利尔举行峰会之前正在准备的声明草案副本。
In our recent one-hour interview with Mr. Carney, he spoke extensively about his vision for this new relationship. And Jeanna Smialek, our Brussels bureau chief, obtained a copy of the draft statement being prepared ahead of a summit in Montreal at the end of this month between the European Union and Canada.
因此，我们回到欧盟问题上--作为一名前布鲁塞尔记者，我很高兴能够解决这个问题，他花了近十年的时间报道欧盟。成为欧盟“准成员”到底意味着什么？它会改变加拿大税收吗？
So we return to the question of the European Union — one I’m excited to tackle as a former Brussels correspondent who dedicated nearly a decade to covering the bloc. What exactly does it mean to be an “associate member” of the European Union? Will it change Canadian taxes?
“准成员”并非正式称谓，卡尼先生和欧盟官员在斯特拉斯堡宣布该术语后又将其收回，因为担心该标签引发混淆、分散对实质内容的关注。该头衔目前并无太多实质含义，但你应从中解读出双方强烈希望将一种远超贸易范畴的紧密关系正式化。这种关系不应改变加拿大的税收或其他明确的国内政策；卡尼曾表示无意向欧盟让渡主权，而税收政策是高度主权事项。
“Associate membership” is not a formal designation, and Mr. Carney and European officials walked back the term after announcing it in Strasbourg, concerned that the label was causing confusion and distracting from the substance. The title doesn’t mean much right now, but what you should read into it is a strong desire from both sides to formalize a close relationship that goes well beyond trade. Such a relationship should not change taxes or other clear domestic policies in Canada; Mr. Carney has said he has no interest in giving up sovereignty to the European Union, and tax policy is a deeply sovereign matter.
此外值得一知的是，税收政策由欧盟成员国自行制定，但它们共同为共享预算做贡献。根据目前的谈判条款，加拿大不被要求这样做。但例如，加拿大将为其想要参与的“精选”项目提供资金支持。加拿大已为“地平线计划”——欧盟的研究与创新框架计划——提供资金，以使加拿大机构有资格申请该计划下的资助。这会改变加拿大的反垄断和隐私法律吗？
It’s also worth knowing that tax policy is set nationally for E.U. members, but they all contribute jointly to a shared budget. Canada would not be expected to do so under the current terms of negotiation. But, for example, Canada would contribute financially to the cherry-picked programs it wants to be part of. Canada already contributes financially to Horizon, the European Union’s research and innovation program, in order for Canadian institutions to be eligible for grants under the program. Will this change antitrust and privacy laws in Canada?
鉴于我们对这段未来关系的最终形态知之甚少，这很复杂。加拿大和欧盟有可能寻求协调，使这些政策领域相互兼容，因为它们确实影响到双方希望深化的关系部分。
This is complex, given how little we know about the future shape of this relationship. It is plausible that Canada and the European Union will seek to coordinate and make these policy areas compatible, as they do affect parts of the relationship they want to deepen.