Britain blocked attempts to strengthen EU trade defences against imports of cheap Chinese steel that have devastated Tata’s operations in the UK, according to senior European officials.

欧洲高级官员称，英国阻止了欧盟试图加强针对进口中国廉价钢铁的贸易保护措施的尝试。中国廉价钢材摧毁了塔塔集团(Tata)在英国的业务。

French and Italian officials said Britain had led opposition to an overhaul of anti-dumping rules that could have helped raise retaliatory tariffs in the EU to the tough level seen in the US.

法国和意大利官员称，英国带头反对修订反倾销规则，帮助欧盟将报复性关税提高至与美国类似的严厉水平。

The head of the European Steel Association, which represents every steelmaker on the continent, also said Britain had thwarted attempts to shut out cheap steel from China.

代表欧洲所有钢铁企业的欧洲钢铁联盟(Eurofer)的负责人也表示，英国挫败了欧洲将中国廉价钢铁挡在门外的尝试。

“The UK is the ringleader in a blocking minority of member states that is preventing a European Commission proposal on the modernisation of Europe’s trade defence instruments,” Axel Eggert told the Financial Times.

“英国是成员国中少数反对派的头目，正在阻止欧盟委员会(European Commission)对欧洲贸易防御措施进行现代化修订的提议，”阿克塞尔•埃格特(Axel Eggert)向英国《金融时报》称。

The accusations that Britain’s hostility to trade restrictions is partly responsible for the crisis that has now put 15,000 workers at Tata Steel in the UK at risk, are potentially damaging to David Cameron’s government, which is battling to respond to Tata’s withdrawal.

有关英国对贸易限制的敌意对塔塔钢铁危机——如今使得1.5万英国工人的岗位岌岌可危——负有部分责任的指责，可能有损戴维•卡梅伦(David Cameron)政府。该政府目前正在全力应对塔塔从英国撤资的举动。

The British government has already been accused of currying favour with China and has recently argued that Beijing should be recognised as a market economy within the World Trade Organisation this summer. British officials point out that cheaper steel has benefited other manufacturers, such as the car industry.

英国政府已被指责讨好中国，并在不久前辩称，今夏应在世贸组织(WTO)内承认中国的市场经济地位。英国官员指出，钢铁价格降低使其他制造商受益，比如汽车业。

An Italian official confirmed that Britain had marshalled resistance to stronger defences against China during the latest trade discussions in Brussels. The UK also has backing from countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands.

一名意大利官员证实，在布鲁塞尔举行的最新贸易讨论中，英国抵制了对中国采取更强有力防御的意见。英国获得瑞典与荷兰等国家的支持。