EU's Hogan hopeful on mini-US trade deal, agriculture hurdles remain

European Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan said he was hopeful of reaching a mini trade accord with the United States in the coming weeks, but that there were still difficult issues to overcome including barriers to agriculture.

"There is a long list (of issues) on both sides that have been outstanding for many, many years. There is no scientific basis for any of these impediments," Hogan told reporters.

"Clearly there are regulations with respect to food safety and those issues, pathogen treatments, that we will not be in a position to change. Equally, we are not asking Congress to change their regulations in some of the asks we are making of the United States."