Ambitious plans for a New Transatlantic Marketplace won't be on the agenda at the May 18th London meeting of the U.S. and the European Union (EU).
The French have grudging, but only temporary acceptance from other Europeans that transatlantic trade can be liberalized only if the U.S. lifts its threat of sanctions against countries that do business with Cuba, Iran, and Libya.
Sir Leon Brittan, the EU's trade commissioner, has been promoting creation of the sweeping U.S.-EU trade alliance for several months. Under the alliance the industrial tariffs would be eliminated and services would trade freely by the year 2010.
