Brussels is taking fresh steps to unblock resistance in EU member states to higher US-style duties on steel allegedly dumped in European markets by China.

布鲁塞尔方面拟对中国据称在欧洲市场上倾销的钢材征收美国式的更高关税，为此正采取新的措施消除某些欧盟成员国的阻力。

The attempt to revive a long-delayed plan to toughen EU penalties on dumped steel comes as a deadline approaches for China to be treated as a market economy in trade disputes under World Trade Organisation rules — a prime political goal for Beijing.

欧方试图重启拖延已久的计划、加强欧盟对倾销钢材处罚之际，中国根据世界贸易组织(WTO)规则在贸易争端中被视为一个市场经济体的截止期限越来越近——获得市场经济地位是北京方面的一个首要政治目标。

The issue presents a political challenge for Cecilia Malmstrom, EU trade commissioner, who is trying to reconcile complaints that surging Chinese imports are to blame for collapsing steel prices with anxiety in some member states that a sharp rise in duties would be too protectionist.

这个问题对欧盟贸易专员赛西莉亚.马尔姆斯特伦(Cecilia Malmstrom)构成一个政治挑战，她正在试图调和两方面的意见：一些成员国申诉，来自中国的进口钢材激增，造成钢材价格崩盘，另一些成员国则焦虑地提出，大幅提高关税的保护主义色彩太浓重。

Although the US has slapped a 266 per cent tariff on some steel products from China in 2015, the EU imposed a 21 per cent duty.

虽然美国在2015年对中国的一些钢材产品开征266%的关税，但欧盟只实行21%的关税。

Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission president, has suggested this is “naive” and called for higher duties. But there are concerns that Beijing could strike back with retaliatory duties against European companies that sell to or use raw material from China.

欧盟委员会主席让-克洛德.容克(Jean-Claude Juncker)提出，这是“幼稚的”，他呼吁提高关税。但也有人担心，北京方面可能对在华销售或者使用中国原材料的欧洲企业实行报复性关税。

EU leaders resolved at a summit last month to settle the matter this year, saying an “urgent and balanced” agreement was required “to safeguard European jobs, ensure fair competition in open markets and preserve free trade”.

欧盟领导人在上月峰会期间决心在今年解决这一问题，认为需要一份“紧急而平衡”的协议，“以保障欧洲的就业，确保公开市场的公平竞争，维护自由贸易”。

Still, it remains unclear whether a compromise can be brokered in coming weeks. A majority of member states wants to overhaul the regime but a blocking minority — including the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland and Denmark — has held out against change.

话虽如此，尚不清楚欧盟内部是否可以在未来几周内达成妥协。多数成员国希望彻底改革现有制度，但足以否决这一动议的少数成员国（包括英国、瑞典、荷兰、芬兰和丹麦）迄今抵制改革。

Some European officials believe this blocking minority is on the brink of collapse. However, there have been no firm indications from member states before EU trade ministers are due to discuss the issue on Friday.

一些欧洲官员认为，这个抵制改革的小集团处于崩溃边缘。然而，在欧盟各国贸易部长周五讨论这一问题之前，各成员国没有流露确切迹象。

Efforts to find agreement follow the near collapse of Europe’s new trade pact with Canada. That raised doubts over the viability of EU trade policy and means that the push to clarify the treatment of China in trade disputes is being cast as another credibility test.

布鲁塞尔方面寻求达成内部协议之前，欧洲与加拿大的新贸易协定几乎崩溃。那件事对欧盟贸易政策的可行性提出了疑问，这也意味着，澄清在贸易争端中如何对待中国的努力将被视为又一个可信度考验。