US, EU Trade Ministers To Continue Trade Talks Later This Month - USTR

US, EU Trade Ministers to Continue Trade Talks Later This Month - USTR

The trade representatives of the United States and the European Union (EU) will meet again at the end of this month to discuss trans-Atlantic relations after a first round of "constructive" talks in Brussels, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said in a press release on Monday

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2018) The trade representatives of the United States and the European Union (EU) will meet again at the end of this month to discuss trans-Atlantic relations after a first round of "constructive" talks in Brussels, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said in a press release on Monday.

"The Ministers will meet again at the end of the month to continue talks," the release said, adding that the first round of discussions between US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and EU Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström on Monday was "constructive."

The Brussels meeting between the two top trade representatives was the first since US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker agreed in July to refrain from imposing any new tit-for-tat tariffs while negotiating future arrangements for trans-Atlantic trade.

USTR said the trade ministers at Monday's talks addressed each of the topics in the joint statement issued by Trump and Juncker on July 25.

Following a second meeting between Lighthizer and Malstrom by the end of this month, professional staff will meet in October to hold discussions on identifying and reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, USTR said.

In November, the ministers are expected finalize outcomes in a number of areas, and both sides are particularly optimistic about an early resolution to issues involving technical barriers to trade, the release said.

Trump has heralded his July 25 agreement with Juncker as the start of a "new phase" in trans-Atlantic trade relations. Prior to striking the deal, the United States and European Union were locked in what appeared to be an escalating trade war, with both sides threatening to impose rounds of reciprocal tariffs on automobiles, agricultural and high-tech goods.