EU and US free-trade talks launched

[Valmy]

Why do you hate BC champagne producers CC?

BC producers have nothing to do with a Euro-US agreement

[Barrister]

I suspect that feta cheese, sparkling wine and bananas are a minor portion of the total trade between the USA and Europe. I suspect having common regulations for stuff like aircraft, cars, electronics, chemicals, machinery etc. would have a much more profound impact than arguing about food items.

Actually I'm pretty sure that agricultural trade is probably one of the biggest components of trade between US and EU.

[Barrister]

Why do you hate BC champagne producers CC?

BC producers have nothing to do with a Euro-US agreement

But CCs refusal to call their product "champagne" does.

[crazy canuck]

Why do you hate BC champagne producers CC?

I dont.  There are none.  There are some producers that make some good sparkling wine though.

Here is a good one to try.

http://road13vineyards.com/our_wines/sparkling_chenin_blanc/

[Admiral Yi]

Actually I'm pretty sure that agricultural trade is probably one of the biggest components of trade between US and EU.

I'll take that bet.  The EU has one of the most protected ag markets in the world.  Probably the most protected. And the EU certainly is not exporting ag commodities to the US.

[crazy canuck]

Actually I'm pretty sure that agricultural trade is probably one of the biggest components of trade between US and EU.

I'll take that bet.  The EU has one of the most protected ag markets in the world.  Probably the most protected. And the EU certainly is not exporting ag commodities to the US.

Yeah, this is definetly a pot and kettle scenario.  This is one of the reasons I had hoped the Canadian EU deal could get done before the Americans joined in the fun.  The two of you are going to be arguing about who is more protectionist for decades.

[Barrister]

Actually I'm pretty sure that agricultural trade is probably one of the biggest components of trade between US and EU.

I'll take that bet.  The EU has one of the most protected ag markets in the world.  Probably the most protected. And the EU certainly is not exporting ag commodities to the US.

I'll wager 15 quatloos.

[Zanza]

I suspect that feta cheese, sparkling wine and bananas are a minor portion of the total trade between the USA and Europe. I suspect having common regulations for stuff like aircraft, cars, electronics, chemicals, machinery etc. would have a much more profound impact than arguing about food items.

Actually I'm pretty sure that agricultural trade is probably one of the biggest components of trade between US and EU.

3.4% USA -> EU and 4.6% EU -> USA for "food and live animals" and "beverages and tobacco". More than 60% in both directions are for "machinery and transport equipment", "chemicals and related prod", and "miscellaneous manufactured articles". Agriculture and food is a very minor industry in both regions. Why would you think that it features prominently in trade?

http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2006/september/tradoc_113465.pdf

[Admiral Yi]

Yeah, this is definetly a pot and kettle scenario.  This is one of the reasons I had hoped the Canadian EU deal could get done before the Americans joined in the fun.  The two of you are going to be arguing about who is more protectionist for decades.

Disagree.  The US protects niche markets like can sugar and cotton, not staple commodities like wheat, corn, soybeans and meat.

[Zanza]

Even if they exclude all food/agriculture items, a free trade agreement could still cover more than 95% of all trade between the EU and USA. That's definitely worth doing.

[Admiral Yi]

Even if they exclude all food/agriculture items, a free trade agreement could still cover more than 95% of all trade between the EU and USA. That's definitely worth doing.

A very static analysis.  Elimination of ag tarrifs would definitely cause US ag exports to the EU to rise.

[crazy canuck]

Yeah, this is definetly a pot and kettle scenario.  This is one of the reasons I had hoped the Canadian EU deal could get done before the Americans joined in the fun.  The two of you are going to be arguing about who is more protectionist for decades.

Disagree.  The US protects niche markets like can sugar and cotton, not staple commodities like wheat, corn, soybeans and meat.

The US subsidizes corn and other agriculture heavily which has the same (or perhaps worse) effect.

[Zanza]

Even if they exclude all food/agriculture items, a free trade agreement could still cover more than 95% of all trade between the EU and USA. That's definitely worth doing.

A very static analysis.  Elimination of ag tarrifs would definitely cause US ag exports to the EU to rise.

Probably. But even if we can't agree on agriculture, we should still go for free trade on the rest of our trade. You know, the part that actually matters.

Agriculture is overrated and I would love to see agricultural lobbies influence here (and I guess elsewhere) broken. They wield way too much political clout for their comparative relevance.

[Barrister]

I suspect that feta cheese, sparkling wine and bananas are a minor portion of the total trade between the USA and Europe. I suspect having common regulations for stuff like aircraft, cars, electronics, chemicals, machinery etc. would have a much more profound impact than arguing about food items.

Actually I'm pretty sure that agricultural trade is probably one of the biggest components of trade between US and EU.

3.4% USA -> EU and 4.6% EU -> USA for "food and live animals" and "beverages and tobacco". More than 60% in both directions are for "machinery and transport equipment", "chemicals and related prod", and "miscellaneous manufactured articles". Agriculture and food is a very minor industry in both regions. Why would you think that it features prominently in trade?

http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2006/september/tradoc_113465.pdf

*Hands Admiral Yi 15 quatloos*

[crazy canuck]

Even if they exclude all food/agriculture items, a free trade agreement could still cover more than 95% of all trade between the EU and USA. That's definitely worth doing.

A very static analysis.  Elimination of ag tarrifs would definitely cause US ag exports to the EU to rise.

Just as the elimination of heavy American subsidies would cause international trade in agriculture to rise in the US.  As I said, pot meet kettle.