Lesson 10 Views on import controls 1

Presenter: The crisis over clothing imports is still hitting the headlines, and we spoke to some of the people involved. In Portugal, Joao da Silva owns a small factory in Aveiro.

Joao: Look, I can’t see any problem with these import controls. The European Union should protect European industry — people like me and my factory workers. We can’t produce clothing at the prices the Chinese charge. I employ a small number of people, it’s true, but they depend on me. Where else could they work around here? My message to Mr. Mandelson is this: stop the Chinese imports, support European producers.

Presenter: But it’s a different message from the retail clothing chain Tulip. Listen to what Dagmar Rasmussen has to say.

Dagmar: We in the retail trade really think we should import garments from China, or from Malaysia, or form any country that can supply us at a good price. Why should the European Union tell us where and how to do business? We are not at all happy with this situation. Our shops could be almost completely empty next week. What are we going to say to our customers? The European Trade Commissioner should act at once, and permit the clothes to leave the warehouses and to stock our shops. Really, this can’t go on!

 

Vocabulary 词汇：

headline 头条（新闻）

European Union 欧盟

clothing industry 服装行业

retail 零售

garment 服装

commissioner专员

permit 允许

warehouse 库房

stock 储存；囤货