[1rudeboy]

If the EU chooses to exclude genetically-modified products, there's not much to stop it from doing so. Now if the EU excluded g-m products from elsewhere in order to favor its own g-m food producers, then it becomes a "free trade-type" problem. Arcane distinction, but necessary.

[ClaireSolt]

They still think like mercantilists and try to keep positive balances of trade. They jump on every chance to get into our market, though. Everyone wants to sell to 300m rich Americans, but they are very reluctant to buy from us. Also, their own EU free market is not wildly popular success.

[bill1952]

GM is a red herring, simply put forth to exclude our farm products.

Their communist unions will never permit fair trade, let alone free trade, unless they are forced to. - Fat chance.

As other posters have pointed out, the EU has issues on literally everything - even fish.

Even Kyoto. - Some EU ministers wanted to place punitive tariffs on everything from America after we dumped Kyoto, claiming that we would have an unfair advantage.

The EU has no clue as to what "free trade" really means, and that is one reason China is cleaning their clocks.

Merkel is right to be concerned about the Dragon.