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                    US-Europe Talks Open on Free Trade Pact

   by VOA News

   The United States and Europe have opened negotiations on what could
   become the world's largest free trade zone, but the initial talks were
   overshadowed by reports of Washington's spying on its European allies.
   The negotiations began Monday in Washington, with meetings scheduled
   throughout the week.
   The U.S. and the combined 28-nation European Union are already the
   world's two largest economies. But with contentious issues on tariffs
   and other barriers to free trade dividing them, the periodic talks are
   likely to last for months. They are targeting the end of 2014 for
   completion of a deal.
   The trade talks, announced last month, were almost derailed after
   former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden disclosed details of
   clandestine surveillance programs being conducted by the secretive
   National Security Agency, including Washington's spying on some
   European agencies and governments.
   European officials voiced anger over the U.S. spying on its allies.
   President Barack Obama said that "every intelligence service, not just
   ours," spies on other nations "to understand the world better."
   As the trade negotiations open, parallel talks are being held over the
   U.S. data collection and privacy issues, but not the NSA spying on
   allies.
   The trade talks are likely to cover a wide array of products and
   industries. Europe would like to end the wide preference U.S.
   governmental agencies give to American contractors and suppliers, while
   the U.S. wants to open European markets to biotechnology products,
   including genetically modified foods that some Europeans consider
   dangerous.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/useurope-talks-open-on-free-trade-pac
   t/1697457.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/useurope-talks-open-on-free-trade-pact/1697457.html