The basic idea of the TEC is to strengthen the Transatlantic Market primarily in removing non-tariff-barriers. The trade relation between Europe and the United States is full of funny stories and strange trade disputes.

Although the European chicken-ban exists since many years the United States decided to make this a test-case for Europe's willingness to change its "eco- and health-protectionist" behaviour.

Bild: Dixie Fried by Roadsidepictures

Let's have a look at the facts

The United States are using chlorine to avoid contamination with salmonellas. Europe's producers of chicken meat are asked to not bring contaminated meat on the market after testing it. Both methods are scientifically unquestioned.

The United States would love to see the ban lifted and the Commissioner Günter Verheugen in his role as European chair of the TEC promised already at the TEC-meeting in November to find a way with his fellow-Commissioners to overcome the reluctance to change procedures to allow American chicken being imported into the EU.

Yesterday, May 13th 2008, on the occasion of the second TEC-meeting which took place in Brussels with the attendance of 5 Secretaries and Undersecretaries from the United States it became clear that the story is much more complicated than Günter Verheugen thought in November. President Barroso himself obviously intervened personally to slow down Verheugen's efforts. The French are increasingly nervous and in the Irish referendum ahead agriculture became one of the most prominent topics for the opposition of the Lisbon Treaty.

Günter Verheugen, looking at the end of his political career in Brussels is quite determined in delivering what he promised. To do this he found out that Europe itself is more than hypocritical. It allows the use of chlorine for exporting chicken meat to Saudi-Arabia (Saudi-Arabia regards the treatment with chlorine as more safe); salad-growers in some EU-Member States are using chlorine as well. In France obviously the method was used until 2005 (this still needs to be verified). How important agriculture is for the French can be seen in one of President Sarkozy's recent speeches where he declares agriculture as important as aerospace.

For Europe's meat-producers an additional problem occurs, once the ban will be lifted. Since their method is much more expensive they themselves would like to see the same method being used in Europe. On this topic the producers are split.

Personally I think we should have avoided this conflict. TEC is still a very young platform of cooperation and the focus in the beginning should be to solve conflicts which are not overburdened with psychological barriers. I am not saying that they should never be discussed I just think it would be of greater benefit, once a greater trust is build on the two sides in solving conflicts, but well it's too late. We are now waiting for the Commissioner's proposals which are in inter-consultation procedure within the Commission. During the TEC-meeting I asked Mr. Verheugen and Dan Price (American co-Chair) if they expect to solve the conflict before the next TEC-meeting which is scheduled for October 2008 in Washington. Their answer was YES - not impossible but highly optimistic.