BRUSSELS, April 15: European Union countries gave final clearance on Monday to start formal trade talks with the United States after months of delay due to resistance from France.
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In the end, the EU governments voted by a clear majority to approve the negotiating mandates proposed by the European Commission, with France voting against and Belgium abstaining.
The Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 28-member European Union, wants to start negotiations on two tracks — one to cut tariffs on industrial goods, the other to make it easier for companies to show products meet EU or U.S. standards.
