Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue just returned to the U.S. this week from Europe where he attended the G-7 Meeting. Perdue says what’s holding up a potential bilateral trade deal between the U.S. and E.U. is the E.U.’s reluctance to follow sound science.
He says the Europeans are bringing up sanitary and phytosanitary objections to trade in the guise of protectionism.
Perdue says when U.S. negotiators can speak with the E.U. countries on a bilateral basis, the talks are transparent and open. However, when push comes to shove regarding a possible deal those countries hide behind the E.U. shield.
This week Perdue spoke with reporters by phone from Madrid, Spain after traveling to the United Kingdom and the European mainland.
