Europe

“In the 98 days that remain to us we must turbo-charge our preparations to make sure that there is as little disruption as possible to our national life.”

Malmström: “I do hope we do not have to use that one.”

U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland said on Thursday that he is “optimistic” about the leadership of European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen, which is a chance for the U.S. and EU to “re-engage.”

The U.S. will receive 35,000 tons out of the 45,000-ton quota for hormone-free beef, phased in over seven years.

The United Kingdom should not expect to be rewarded with a bilateral trade agreement with the U.S. if the country exits the European Union without a deal, House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) said on Wednesday.

On the agenda: Whether the French tax is discriminatory, whether it “burdens or restricts U.S. commerce,” if it violates France’s World Trade Organization obligations, and what actions, if any, the U.S. should take in response.

“I unfortunately think they are more likely than not to be imposed in mid-November,” Peter Beyer told Reuters. “There is quite a lot of impatience on the U.S. side. But that also requires us on the European side to be strong and unified.”

The U.S. and 15 other large agriculture-producing World Trade Organization members are questioning the European Union’s implementation of regulatory barriers to agricultural exports, particularly on pesticides regularly used by producers in other countries.

“In the midst of international trade tensions, we are sending today a strong signal with our Mercosur partners that we stand for rules-based trade,” said Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.