Posted on 04/06/2012 3:24:03 PM PDT by Olog-hai
The European Union and the United States are giving serious thought to starting talks on a free trade agreement covering all business sectors, including agriculture, a traditional source of friction between the two sides, a top US trade official said.
"A comprehensive agreement is obviously an important option to consider. It's one that we're taking a very close look at," Deputy US Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro told Reuters.
The United States and the 27 countries of the European Union already have the largest economic relationship in the world. Two-way trade was about 490 billion in 2011 and investment by US and European companies in each other's economies totals about 2 trillion.
But facing the prospect of years of slow growth as other countries like China, Brazil and India gallop ahead, US and EU leaders in November established a high-level working group led by U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht to explore ways the transatlantic partners could tie their economies even closer to create jobs.
(Excerpt) Read more at euractiv.com ...
Unboubtedly, the negotiations will have the Carbon Tax issue on Airlines......look for it.
The EU desparately needs US support to remain legit in their own eyes.
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