The United States and European Union have a provisional deal to end their longstanding dispute over US hormone-treated beef, officials said Wednesday.
The memorandum of understanding was signed in Geneva and will provide the United States "significant additional access," at zero duty, to the EU market for beef produced from American cattle not treated with growth-promoting hormones, officials said.
"In contrast to the existing access, which is subject to a 20 percent duty, the new access will be duty-free," US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement providing details of a three-phase dispute settlement plan.
Under the pact, the EU would allow imports of up to 45,000 tons of US beef and Washington agreed to roll back plans to slap new import duties on EU products ranging from Roquefort French cheese to Italian mineral water.
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