Poultry import dispute endangers trade forum

A new transatlantic trade forum is being jeopardised by a decade-old dispute over rules blocking the export of US chicken meat to Europe. Washington said May 2008 that a promise by the European Commission to lift a bar on the imports before a June 2008 summit was a 'litmus test' for the viability of the Transatlantic Economic Council.

The Transatlantic Economic Council is a political body to oversee and accelerate government-to-government cooperation with the aim of advancing economic integration between the European Union and the United States of America. It was set up in 2007.

European Commission: Delegation to the USA: EU/US relations: Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) http://www.eurunion.org/partner/euusrelations/TEC.htm

European Commission: DG Enterprise and Industry: Policy Areas: International Affairs: Transatlantic Economic Council http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/enterprise_policy/inter_rel/tec/index_en.htm

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