USTR to focus on agriculture this week
April 14, 2014 | 04:14 PM
In another apparent attempt to keep the troubled Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership talks going, Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler will meet Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Washington with Ambassador Hiroshi Oe and Ambassador Takeo Mori of Japan for TPP negotiations, focusing on agriculture market access and motor vehicle issues.
According to press reports, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman’s trip to Tokyo last week produced an offer from the Japanese to reduce its tariff on U.S. beef from 38.5 percent to 10 percent, but larger-scale differences remain.
President Barack Obama will travel to Japan later this month, but news reports have indicated that unless there is a breakthrough in U.S.-Japanese negotiations, the two countries will not be able to announce a large-scale TPP agreement at that time.
On Thursday, Froman will meet with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Forrest Roberts.
Both events are closed to the press.
According to press reports, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman’s trip to Tokyo last week produced an offer from the Japanese to reduce its tariff on U.S. beef from 38.5 percent to 10 percent, but larger-scale differences remain.
President Barack Obama will travel to Japan later this month, but news reports have indicated that unless there is a breakthrough in U.S.-Japanese negotiations, the two countries will not be able to announce a large-scale TPP agreement at that time.
On Thursday, Froman will meet with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Forrest Roberts.
Both events are closed to the press.
