US-EU trade talks halt most likely option: French minister

A halt to trade talks between the European Union and the United States is now likely, French Trade Minister Matthias Fekl said on May 3.

Negotiators have been battling to reach a deal before President Barack Obama leaves office in January but points of contention remain, ranging from food safety standards to support for small business.

France has been particularly vocal about what it sees as a lack of movement on the U.S. side. "Given the approach being taken by the United States today, (a halt) is the most likely option," Fekl said on Europe 1 radio.
Fekl said in April that the talks should be scrapped in the absence of further progress.

His intervention comes a day after Greenpeace called for the talks to stop, citing concerns a deal would compromise food safety. To support its case it published confidential documents it said showed entrenched positions on the two sides.

The environmentalist pressure group argues that the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) would hand too much power to big business at the expense of consumers and national governments.
Istanbul's Be?ikta? returns to nest at brand new Vodafone ArenaErdo?an hosts Islamic Summit leaders on presidential yachtLast section of ?zmit Bay Bridge put into place Halfeti - A town of mesmerizing beautyExhibition shows Istanbul through eyes of children Secret weapons of Turkish army: locally produced rocket launchers, missile systemsThe bugs of Ankara: The weirdest scenes that anyone can run into in Turkish capitalA bird's eye view tour of Turkey's eastern provinces of Van and HakkariTurkish man with four wives has his 32nd childTurkish police raid Koza ?pek's media HQ in Istanbul amid protestsTurkey celebrates Republic Day against backdrop of...