U.S. to seek comprehensive agriculture access in EU trade talks

The United States on Friday signaled it would ignore the European Union's desire to keep agriculture out of this year's planned U.S.-EU trade talks, publishing negotiating objectives that seek comprehensive EU access for American farm products.

The negotiating objectives, required by Congress under the "fast-track" trade negotiating authority law, will seek to reduce or eliminate EU tariffs on U.S. farm products and break down non-tariff barriers, including those on products developed through biotechnology, the U.S. Trade Representative's office said. (Reporting by David Lawder; editing by Jonathan Oatis)