歐盟簽署協議限制政府開支

European Union leaders signed a treaty in Brussels Friday to require their individual governments to balance their budgets or face economic sanctions if they do not.

The treaty is the latest response by Europe's leaders to contain the continent's two-year debt crisis that twice has forced Greece, and Ireland and Portugal once apiece, to secure international bailouts to keep from going bankrupt. It was signed by 25 of the 27 EU countries, with Britain and the Czech Republic declining.

Now, for it to take effect, it must be ratified by at least 12 of the 17 countries that use the common euro currency.

EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy said the treaty, drafted over the last several months, will help prevent another debt crisis. He said it would lead to a "restoration of confidence" in the eurozone, while boosting economic growth and job creation.歐盟領導人星期五在布魯塞爾簽署協議，要求各成員國政府平衡預算，否則將面臨經濟制裁。

這份協議是歐洲領導人爲遏制歐洲長達兩年的債務危機蔓延所作出的最新反應。歐洲債務危機導致希臘兩次、愛爾蘭和葡萄牙各一次被迫接受國際援助以避免政府破產。歐盟27個成員國中的25個簽署了這份協議，英國和捷克共和國拒絕簽字。

目前，這份協議要想生效必須得到歐元區17國中至少12個國家的批准。

歐盟委員會主席範龍佩表示，這份在過去幾個月擬定的協議將有助於防止再次發生債務危機。他說，協議將幫助歐元區“恢復信心”，同時加速經濟增長和創造就業。

德國總理默克爾說，協議對創造一個更團結的歐洲來說是一個重要的里程碑。默克爾領導了實行更嚴格預算管制措施的努力。