Banks look at suing EU on bonus cap
The City of London’s big banks are considering suing the EU over rules to cap bonuses after receiving legal advice that the pay regulation could be struck down in court.
伦敦金融城(City of London)的大型银行正考虑就设定奖金上限的规定起诉欧盟(EU)，此前，它们收到法律建议，这一薪资规定可以在法庭上被推翻。
The drastic options being weighed up by bankers underline industry anxiety over a fixed ratio pegging bonuses to salary, which will be debated by EU finance ministers in Brussels today.
银行家正在考虑的这一激烈选择，突显出该行业对奖金与薪资的固定比率感到担忧，今日在布鲁塞尔召开的欧盟财长会议将就此进行辩论。
George Osborne, UK chancellor, is planning to fight a rearguard action to revise the terms of the cap but diplomats are doubtful Britain will secure big changes at such a late stage. The stark odds against Mr Osborne are prompting banks to consider other radical steps, including suing.
英国财政大臣乔治•奥斯本(George Osborne)计划发起防卫行动，以修改奖金上限规定，但外交人士对于英国在如此晚的阶段实现重大修改的能力表示质疑。奥斯本成功的可能性很小，这正促使银行考虑其他激进措施，包括诉讼。
Legal advice for one bank, seen by the Financial Times, argues that the proposed ban on bonuses that exceed salary “contravenes European law” because of an EU treaty provision that prohibits regulating pay in member states. But it remains unclear whether banks would brave a high-profile court challenge given the potential public backlash.
英国《金融时报》看到的一项为一家银行提供的法律建议主张，拟议的对数额超过薪资的奖金的限制“违反欧盟法律”，因为一项欧盟条约条款禁止管控欧盟成员国的薪资。但目前尚不清楚，鉴于可能的公众抗议，银行是否敢于发起高调的法律诉讼。
The confidential advice from law firm Shearman and Sterling concludes: “A mandatory provision fixing the maximum salary-bonus ratio payable in the banking sector . . . contravenes European law.”
来自谢尔曼•思特灵律师事务所(Shearman and Sterling)的保密建议总结称：“设置银行业薪资与奖金之间比率上限的强制性规定……违反欧盟法律。”
No formal EU legal advice on the issue is public. But the European parliament and Brussels argue the objections of the banks are not relevant, as the bonus ratio does not regulate total pay and is justified as a prudential financial measure, rather than as social policy.
有关该问题的正式欧盟法律建议都没有公开。但欧洲议会(European parliament)和欧盟辩称，银行的反对无关紧要，因为奖金比率没有管控总薪酬，是一项合理审慎的金融举措，而非社会政策。
“We are confident this proposal is absolutely legally sound,” the European Commission said. “Excessive bonuses [at banks] led to excessive risk and taxpayers having to step in. That explains why prudential regulation is needed.”
“我们相信，这一提案绝对具有法律依据，”欧盟委员会(European Commission)表示，“（银行的）过多奖金导致了过度风险，纳税人不得不介入其中。这就是为何需要审慎监管的原因。”
（来源：FT）
