In February President Obama announced the beginning of negotiations designed to produce a US-EU Free Trade Agreement. Mutual tariffs are already low and trade high; business and labor constituents seem supportive, and officials are eager to conclude this agreement “on one tank of gas,” i.e., quickly. But significant issues will be in play, including: opening markets for agriculture products, trade in services, and access to public contracts. Regulation and non-tariff barriers-including, for example, “cultural exceptions” favored by some European countries and American restrictions on European airlines may constitute substantial obstacles. More broadly, supporters of more global approaches to trade fear the impact of such an exclusive bilateral deal on the emerging and less developed markets. Our Conversation on Europe will cover these and other related issues, with participants from several venues and input from university and community people.

Ambassador (ret.) J.D. Bindenagel is a special Advisor to the President at DePaul University in Chicago.
Martin Staniland is a Professor in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.
David Cleeton is a Professor of Economics at Illinois State University.
Zaki Laïdi is a Professor and the Director of Research at Sciences Po in Paris, France.
Ben Beachy is Research Director with Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch.