If negotiators cannot resolve major agricultural disputes, “then in my view, you are not going to have a TTIP [Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership],” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack at a farm conference in Brussels. Reuters said Vilsack listed three thorny obstacles to the U.S.-EU free trade pact: European opposition to U.S. beef exports and GMO crops, and U.S. objections to the EU’s claim of sole right to use food names, such as Parmesan cheese, that are tied to localities. The U.S. agribusiness bloc “is powerful enough to stop an agreement that’s been negotiated” if it doesn’t benefit them, said Vilsack.
EU agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan said any agreement must be fair to both sides. Hogan mentioned access for EU dairy products, which face high tariffs, and protection of the so-called geographical indicators of food names.