The European Union is shaping up as the site of the next big food-related trade war, according to Reuters.
The U.S. and the EU have disputed for decades the latter’s ban on certain product categories and processing practices, such as chicken washed with peracetic acid and meat treated with growth hormones. But America’s $12 billion agricultural trade deficit with the EU has attracted the attention of President Trump, who has long complained that it is “worse than China.” Earlier this month, Trump said he would be "training his sights on Europe," the Reuters report says.
The U.S contends that the EU’s “safety standards” are just an excuse for protectionism. The EU contends in turn that it is just being proactive in minimizing risks.
A personality clash also comes into play. “You’re negotiating with Trump, for whom not many Europeans have great sympathy,” a trade specialist at the European Policy Centre told Reuters.
