TEXT 534

經濟學人:歐洲養老金:一腳踏入阿爾加維 (2)

Finland shredded its tax agreement with Portugal in June.If Portugal does not accept a draft deal letting Finland tax most pensions drawn by its retirees there by November, it will start doing so anyway in January.It estimates that it loses a mere 3m-6m euros a year in revenue to Portugal, but says that as a matter of principle it can no longer tolerate "tax refugees".

譯文

6月，芬蘭撕毀了與葡萄牙的稅收協定。如果葡萄牙不接受讓芬蘭從11月開始對芬蘭退休者的大部分退休金徵稅的起草協議，那麼該國不論如何都將從1月起貫徹該規定。據評估，每年該國流入葡萄牙的收入損失不過3到5百萬歐元，但是該國表示原則上，他們將不再默許“稅收難民”。

This is just sour grapes, says Pekka Pystynen, a retired former executive.Mr Pystynen spends his winters in his home in the Algarve and the summers at his cottage in Finland.The tax benefits were a bonus, he says, but the main draws were the weather and relaxed lifestyle.

譯文

一名已退休的前主管Pekka Pystynen稱這不過是喫不到葡萄說葡萄酸罷了。Pystynen在他位於阿爾加維的家中過冬，在芬蘭的小屋中入夏。稅收優惠是一種獎勵，他說，但主要吸引人的地方還是天氣和放鬆的生活方式。

譯文

Pensioners are important to Portugal's tourism industry, which contributed over 17% to the country's GDP in 2017. One job in five is linked to tourism.The average pension paid to Finns living in Portugal is around 3,500 euros a month. Since prices are a fifth lower than the euro-area average, that goes a long way.According to Sirpa Uimonen of the University of Helsinki, Finns living in the Algarve spend 14,700 euros a year on average, over 20% more than locals do.

譯文

領退休金的人對葡萄牙的旅遊業非常重要，2017年旅遊業對該國GDP的貢獻超過17%。五分之一的工作都和旅遊業掛鉤。居住在葡萄牙的芬蘭人平均每月的養老金約爲3500歐元。由於該數額比歐元區平均數額低五分之一，這對該國大有幫助。赫爾辛基大學的Sirpa Uimonen表示，生活在阿爾加維的芬蘭人平均每年支出爲14,700歐元，比本地人的平均年支出多20%。

Withdrawing from double-taxation agreements is rare. Denmark ended its deals with Spain and France in 2009, also because of rows about pensions.In the case of Portugal, other countries may follow Finland's lead. Sweden's finance minister has pressed to do so.More commonly, countries take matters into their own hands. France is about to start taxing French pensions that are paid abroad.And a new bilateral agreement means that Britain will soon start taxing British government-service pensions drawn in Cyprus.

譯文

退出雙重課稅協議是很少見的。2009年丹麥終止和西班牙及法國的協議，也是由於養老金爭端。至於葡萄牙，其他國家或許會以芬蘭爲榜樣。瑞典的財政部長強烈要求這麼做。更普遍的情況是，各國會親自出馬。法國將開始對海外支付的法國養老金徵稅。新的雙邊協議意味着英國很快將開始對在塞浦路斯提取的英國政府公務員養老金徵稅。

Portugal's generosity to retired foreigners has been criticised by locals. They pay up to 48% on their pensions; property prices rose by 10% last year.Extra demand from foreign buyers will not have helped. One political party, the Left Bloc, has proposed closing the pensions loophole.Retired foreigners may soon have to decide whether vinho verde and pasteis de nata are enough of a draw.

譯文

葡萄牙對外國退休者的慷慨受到了當地人的批評。去年他們在養老金上的支出高達48%；房價上漲了10%。來自外國買家的額外需求並沒什麼幫助。左翼聯盟建議關閉養老金漏洞。退休外國人或許很快便要決定葡萄牙綠酒和蛋撻是否有足夠的吸引力。

註釋

1.shred 撕毀

Remove the meat from the pigeons and shred roughly.

把肉從鴿子身上拿出來，粗略地切碎。來源於《BBC》

2.tolerate 容忍；忍受

The company will not tolerate coercive and underhand practices.

公司不會容忍強迫性和下流行爲。來源於《THETIMES》

3.on average 平均

Which is certainly a valid statement on average.

這無疑是一個平均有效的陳述。來源於《WSJ》

4.bilateral 雙邊的

She spoke Friday at annual bilateral talks in Beijing.

週五，她在北京舉行的年度雙邊會談上發表了講話。來源於《VOA》

查看原文 >>