US farmers furious at EU agenda for talks

13 February 1998

US farmers furious at EU agenda for talks

FARM-STATE Congressmen in the USA are furious about reports that the United States and the European Union (EU) will initiate new trade liberalisation talks which to not include agriculture.

Now a resolution has been introduced in both houses of Congress condemning the EU for “unfairly” restricting US food imports. It also calls on the US trade representative to forgo any trade negotiations with the EU that undermine the ability of the USA to achieve the eradication of non-trade barriers to US agricultural exports.

The controversy comes as US trade representative Charlene Barshefsky begins consultations with industry groups over how to expand the USA-EU New Transatlantic Agenda, under which the USA and EU have negotiated mutual recognition agreements on six sectors, easing the flow of trade worth $50 billion.

Various food safety disputes which have inflamed US farmers have been discussed as possible agenda items in new negotiations.

Farmers are angry over Brussels slow acceptance of genetically engineered crops, the EUs alleged failure to implement a bilateral agreement on veterinary equivalence standards, outstanding disputes over EU subsidies for dairy, wheat gluten and canned fruits, and the EU ban on hormone-produced beef.

• Financial Times 13/02/98 page 5