Beef deal possible catalyst for future EU-US trade deals

EU trade commissioner Catherine Ashton has welcomed a deal settling a 20-year-old dispute over US beef.

The British commissioner said the agreement could be a catalyst for resolving other issues which have beset US-EU trade relations.

She was speaking after she and US trade representative Ron Kirk agreed in principle on a way forward in the long-running dispute over hormone-treated beef.

“Following a very good discussion, we have reached an understanding that provides a pragmatic way forward in the long-running beef dispute.

"An agreement is in our mutual interest, and we will now discuss this with our respective stakeholders and constituencies in an effort to finalise it as soon as possible.

"Reaching an agreement on this issue will be a clear sign of our commitment to working through - and, where possible, resolving - the bilateral disputes in our trade relationship.

"We will continue our close cooperation on other outstanding issues in the future.”

Under the terms of last week's agreement, the US has agreed not to impose new so-called 'carousel' sanctions which were due to come into force this week and would affect a range of EU products.

Washington had given Brussels until 9 May to agree to a deal in the row over an EU ban on imports of US beef from cattle raised with growth hormones or face new duties on a range of EU products such as Italian mineral water and Roquefort cheese.

But the US and EU remain at odds over other trade issues ranging from imports of US chlorinated chicken and biodiesel to online gambling laws and subsidies to aircraft companies Airbus and Boeing.

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