美国对《反海外腐败法》做出澄清

US authorities have formally defined key elements of a foreign bribery law, in an unusual move to help companies avoid violations at a time when regulators around the globe are increasingly scrutinising payments.

美国有关部门对反海外贿赂法律的关键内容作出正式界定，这一不寻常的举动旨在帮助企业避免违规。目前世界各地的监管机构都在加大对各种付款的审查力度。

The US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commissionissued a joint 120-page report yesterday, clarifying what kind of payments would be considered illegal under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

美国司法部(DoJ)和证券交易委员会(SEC)昨天联合发布了一份120页的报告，澄清哪些类型的支付将被《反海外腐败法》(Foreign Corrupt Practices Act)视为非法。

Under the guidance, paying for a foreign government official’s taxi fare does not constitute a bribe, while a paid “trip to Italy for eight Iraqi government officials that consisted primarily of sightseeing and included $1,000 in ‘pocket money’ for each official would be deemed improper.

根据这份指导文件，为外国政府官员支付出租车费不构成贿赂，而“出钱让8名伊拉克政府官员前往意大利旅行，而旅行的主要内容是观光，且向每位官员发放1000美元‘零花钱’将被视为不正当行为。

The FCPA’s definition of a foreign official was also clarified to include employees of companies that are majority owned, or controlled, by a foreign government.

《反海外腐败法》对外国官员的定义也得到澄清，纳入外国政府持多数股权或握有控制权的公司的雇员。

The US clarification follows similar guidance from UK authorities last month and aggressive lobbying by the US Chamber of Commerce, which had sought to rein in US prosecutors.

在美国方面做出此次澄清之前，英国有关部门上月发表类似指导文件，而试图约束美国检察官权限的美国商会(US Chamber of Commerce)开展了积极的游说。

At one congressional hearing on the law last year, the appropriateness of taxi fare payments was hotly debated.

去年，在一场有关《反海外腐败法》的国会听证会上，各方就代付出租车费的合适性展开了激烈辩论。

While the chamber had no immediate comment, the specific examples are likely to be welcomed by the business community.

尽管美国商会没有立即置评，但指导文件中的具体案例可能得到商界欢迎。

About 965 non-US companies have securities that trade in the US and are also considered by the US authorities to be under their jurisdiction. Few companies choose to contest DoJ investigations, since a court battle and criminal conviction can put them out of business.

约有965家非美国公司在美国上市，美国当局认为它们在自己的管辖权限内。很少有公司选择对抗美国司法部的调查，因为法庭交锋和刑事定罪可能让它们停业。

Business groups have complained the US government has, as a result, taken a broad and largely unchallenged reading of the law, which prohibits paying bribes to foreign officials to win or retain business. Companies add they are forced to spend millions of dollars to investigate allegations in units around the world – and millions more to settle with the DoJ and SEC.

因此，商业团体抱怨美国政府对法律的解读范围过宽，并且基本上未受挑战。这部法律禁止为了赢得或保留业务而贿赂外国官员。各公司还表示，它们被迫斥资数百万美元在全球各地的部门调查贿赂指控，还要付出巨资与司法部和证交会达成和解。