(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
US, Britain Fight Foreign Bribery, But Most Nations Do Very Little
A new report rates the United States and Britain as the largest exporters most active at enforcing rules meant to stop companies from paying bribes in foreign markets. The report found that many other nations are doing almost nothing to stop bribery.
The study comes from Transparency International, the Berlin-based anti-corruption group. It found that only four of 47 countries were actively enforcing laws against foreign bribery in 2019. The four countries -- the U.S., Britain, Switzerland and Israel -- are responsible for 16.5 percent of exports worldwide.
That compares with the seven countries identified as actively enforcing legislation against foreign bribery in 2018.
"Our research shows that many countries are barely investigating foreign bribery," said Gillian Dell, the lead writer of the report.
"Unfortunately, it's all too common for businesses in wealthy countries to export corruption to poorer countries, undermining institutions and development," she added.
The 1997 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development agreement bans bribes to win business deals, or to avoid paying taxes.
China is the world's largest exporter and did not sign the agreement. The new report found that China had "little or no enforcement," as did India, and agreement signers Japan and South Korea.
Germany, the world's third-largest exporter, also signed the agreement. The report found Germany had "moderate enforcement," as do other major exporters like France, Italy and Spain.
Germany and Italy both fought fewer bribery cases in 2019 than during 2018, while France and Spain improved their performance.
Agreement signers Netherlands, Canada and Austria are the biggest exporters that showed only "limited enforcement," the report said.
"Too many governments choose to turn a blind eye when their companies use bribery to win business in foreign markets," noted Transparency International's head, Delia Ferreira Rubio.
"G20 countries and other major economies have a responsibility to enforce the rules," she added.
Transparency's suggestions include ending secrecy in ownership of companies. The group says secrecy makes investigating foreign bribery difficult. It also is used to protect parent companies from being responsible for the actions of their foreign subsidiaries.
I'm Susan Shand.
重点解析
1.exporter n.出口商
Vietnam has emerged as the world's third-biggest rice exporter.
越南已立足成为世界第三大稻米出口国 。
2.transparency n. 透明
This is an age of transparency, and you have to join it.
这是一个透明的时代,你必须参与进去 。
3.limited adj.有限的
Film is a business with limited opportunities for actresses.
电影业对女演员来说机会有限 。
4.bribery n.贿赂
He was jailed on charges of bribery.
他因贿赂指控被监禁 。
5.Too many governments choose to turn a blind eye when their companies use bribery to win business in foreign markets.
turn a blind eye 对...视而不见
I can't turn a blind eye when someone is being robbed.
当有人遭到抢劫时,我不能视而不见 。
Don't turn a blind eye to matters that concern the people's welfare.
不要对民众的利益漠然置之 。
6.It also is used to protect parent companies from being responsible for the actions of their foreign subsidiaries.
be responsible for 对...负责
The storm is thought to be responsible for as many as four deaths
据认为,暴风雨造成4人死亡 。
You'll be responsible for receiving and talking with all visitors.
来访者由你负责接谈 。
参考译文
美英两国大力打击企业国外行贿
一份新报告将美国和英国列为“最积极执行旨在阻止企业在国外市场行贿的规定的最大出口国” 。该报告发现,其它许多国家几乎未采取任何行动制止行贿 。
该研究来自于总部位于柏林的反腐败组织“透明国际” 。该调查发现,2019年,47个国家中只有4个在积极执行打击国外行贿的法律 。分别是美国、英国、瑞士和以色列,它们占全球出口的16.5% 。
而2018年有7个国家在积极执行打击国外行贿的法律 。
该报告的主要作者吉莉安·戴尔(Gillian Dell)表示:“我们的研究表明,许多国家几乎并未调查国外行贿 。”
她还表示:“不幸的是,发达国家的企业向贫穷国家出口腐败、破坏制度和发展,这些都太常见了 。”
1997年经济合作与发展组织协议禁止通过行贿赢得商业合同或是避税 。
中国是全球最大的出口国,没有签署该协议 。这份新报告发现,中国和印度都很少或并未执法,而签署了协议的日本和韩国也是如此 。
全球第三大出口国德国也签署了该协议 。报告发现,德国、法国、意大利和西班牙等其它主要出口国的执法力度“适度” 。
德国和意大利2019年打击行贿的案件均少于2018年,而法国和西班牙的表现有所改善 。
报告称,协议签署国荷兰、加拿大和奥地利是仅展现出“有限执法力度”的最大出口国 。
“透明国际”的负责人迪莉亚·费雷拉·鲁比奥(Delia Ferreira Rubio)表示:“当企业通过行贿在国外市场赢得业务的时候,大多数政府都选择视而不见 。”
她还说:“二十国集团国家和其它主要经济体有责任执行这些规定 。”
“透明国际”的建议包括终止公司所有权的保密性 。该组织表示,保密导致调查国外行贿变得困难 。它还被用于保护母公司免于对其国外子公司的行为负责 。
苏珊·尚德为您播报 。
译文为可可英语翻译,未经授权请勿转载!
