Ag Policy Blog

In the debate over agricultural market access in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the European agricultural group Copa-Cogeca has spelled out some conditions its leaders believe need to be met to make the European trade deal a benefit for both sides of the Atlantic.

In a news release Wednesday, Copa Cogeca stated the group spelled out its concerns during the 11th round of talks going on this week in Brussels, Belgium. Harry Sinclair, vice president of Copa and a livestock farmer, complained about U.S. red tape and technical barriers that need to be resolved.

"Today, hard cheeses, semi-soft cheeses and soft-ripened cheeses have to wait 60 days before circulating in the U.S. market," Sinclair stated. "The main issue here appears to be the testing methods which are not the same on both sides of the Atlantic. Can we use the best technology together?”

Sinclair also complained that the U.S. doesn't recognize the EU as a single entity.

"Despite a parallel system of safety and control on food, the USA administration is not yet recognizing the EU as a Single entity. Despite the political decision last year, my beef product is still not allowed to enter the USA market. I urge the US authorities to allow the export of European beef to the US market as soon as possible."

There is a somewhat lack self-awareness in those statements given recent EU parliament votes to essentially allow individual countries in the EU to implement their own bans on production and imports of biotech crops despite EU rules. Then there is the EU's unwillingness to accept U.S. beef from cattle produced with growth hormones despite repeated scientific rulings in favor of the U.S.

Sinclair then maintained the EU system of EU system of geographical indications must be recognized by the U.S.

Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen pointed out that all European fruit and vegetables products have to go through one port of entry in Philadelphia but U.S. fruits and vegetable can be exported via all the ports in Europe.

U.S. ag exports to Europe were about $11.9 billion in 2013, but the U.S. imported closer to $17 billion in agricultural products from Europe. The U.S. is the largest market for EU ag products, but Europe is about the fifth-largest market for U.S. ag products. The biggest U.S. imports are wine, beer, oils and snack foods, according to figures from USDA and the European Commission.

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