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Donald Trump announced on Friday, August 2, the signing of an agreement with the European Union on the export of American beef without hormones.
From the White House, Donald Trump displayed his smile of the big days. " Our beef producers were not treated very well. But the European Union has been up to it. This agreement is a great victory for our American farmers and breeders, but also for European consumers. Because American beef is the best in the world! "He enthused, surrounded by representatives of cattle ranchers.
This new agreement will allow the United States to boost its exports of hormone-free beef to the European Union. They should increase by 46% the first year to 80% over seven years, says our correspondent in New York, Loubna Anaki . Of the 45,000 tonnes of beef imported by Europeans, US beef would reach 35,000 tonnes. That would bring $ 420 million to the United States.
A 30-year-old dispute
For Donald Trump, the agreement will also benefit the European consumer. As the president says: " American beef is considered the best in the world. ". However, American beef has long been blocked from European markets because of the growth hormones used by farmers across the Atlantic.
►Read more - Beef Hormones: New concessions from Europe to the United States
In 1988, Europe simply banned the importation of beef from animals that were given hormones. In retaliation, the United States imposed customs penalties on certain local products. Sanctions lifted in 2009, but again brandished late 2016 by the Obama administration. A compromise was finally found and high-quality beef exports gradually resumed.
Phil Hogan, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, assured that he was not going to " change the total volume, quality or safety of imported beef ". The agreement is due to come into force in the autumn, but will have to be approved by the European Parliament beforehand.
But the trade war is far from over, warns our correspondent in Brussels, Laxmi Lota . Last month, the European Commission announced that it had prepared a list of US goods that could be taxed. This is a measure of retaliation for possible increases in US tariffs on European automobiles.
►Also read: Is Donald Trump right to want to overtax French wine?