Germany and France yesterday hit out at the EU’s long-awaited trade deal with the US, warning that it would wound the European economy as the euro slid against the dollar.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the agreement concluded with US President Donald Trump the day before would cause “considerable damage” to his country, Europe and the US itself.
“Not only will there be a higher inflation rate, but it will also affect transatlantic trade overall,” Merz said, in a striking rebuke of the deal negotiated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The euro was down more than 1 per cent against the dollar and fell 0.7 per cent against the pound, following the announcement on Sunday that the US would impose 15 per cent tariffs on most imports from the EU.
“This result cannot satisfy us,” Merz added. “But it was the best result achievable in a given situation.”
French Prime Minister François Bayrou said the deal marked a “dark day”, adding that the EU had “resigned itself into submission”.
The agreement, hailed by Von der Leyen as “the biggest trade deal ever” and covering nearly 44 per cent of global GDP, averted a possible transatlantic trade war. It secured a lower tariff rate for the EU than the 30 per cent that Trump had threatened to impose from August 1. But the duties still mark a threefold increase from the average tariffs imposed on the bloc by the US before Trump’s “liberation day” announcements in April.
1. hit out (at sb/sth)
词性:动词短语(常用于新闻语境)
意思:猛烈抨击、强烈批评
语气:激烈、有对抗性,常用于政界、商业等公共场合
常见搭配:hit out at critics / hit out over policy
例句:
The minister hit out at the opposition for spreading misinformation.
部长猛烈抨击反对派散布虚假信息。
Elon Musk hit out at new AI regulations, calling them "short-sighted."
埃隆·马斯克猛烈抨击新的AI监管法规,称其“目光短浅”。
2. long-awaited
词性:形容词(用作定语)
意思:期待已久的
语气:中性偏正,常用于描述新闻事件、改革、成果、报告等姗姗来迟的东西
例句:
The company finally launched its long-awaited electric truck.
这家公司终于发布了其期待已久的电动卡车。
The long-awaited interest rate cut came after months of economic slowdown.
在几个月的经济放缓后,期待已久的降息终于到来。
3. rebuke
词性:名词 / 动词
意思:指责,斥责,批评(通常比较正式或严厉)
语气:正式、严肃,比“criticize”更强烈
同义词:reprimand, scold, chastise
例句(作动词):
The CEO rebuked the manager for mishandling client data.
首席执行官斥责了那位经理对客户数据处理不当。
例句(作名词):
The prime minister's comments drew a sharp rebuke from environmental groups.
首相的言论招致环保组织的强烈批评。
4. resigned itself to submission
词性:短语(“resign oneself to sth”是固定结构)
意思:逆来顺受、认命地接受(屈服)
语气:含有“无奈接受不想接受的事”的意味
分解解释:
resign oneself to sth = 默默接受某事
submission = 顺从、屈服
例句:
After months of protests, the public seemed to have resigned itself to submission.
在数月抗议之后,公众似乎已经默默屈服。
The company, facing regulatory pressure, resigned itself to submission and halted the project.
面对监管压力,公司只能被迫接受,终止了项目。
Information
- Show
- FrequencyUpdated Daily
- PublishedAugust 4, 2025 at 11:00 PM UTC
- Length2 min
- Episode5
- RatingClean