June 19, 2020

US to ensure fair access for farm products with EU, UK

In its drive to secure fair access for US agricultural products, the US will not compromise in its trade talks with the EU and Britain, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told lawmakers on Wednesday, reported Reuters.

Lighthizer said Washington had made "very little headway" in its trade negotiations with Brussels, and said he was sceptical that an agreement could be completed with the EU or Britain in coming months due to the lack of in-person negotiating sessions.

He said Washington would insist on changes that allowed US farm products to be sold to the EU and Britain, calling resistance to US agricultural imports "thinly veiled protectionism." "We either have fair access for agriculture, or we won't have a deal with either one of them," he said.