The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service issued two reports this week on agricultural issues in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP). One considered the impact of tariffs and tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) while the other reviewed non-tariff measures that can be barriers to trade.

The first report evaluated the potential effects of “complete removal of tariffs and tariff-rate quotas (TRQs); elimination of non-tariff measures along with tariffs and tariff-rate quotas; and a lowering of the willingness of consumers to purchase imported goods previously limited by non-tariff measures” between the United States and the European Union.

The report stated if tariffs and TRQs were removed, “U.S. agricultural exports to the EU increase by $5.5 billion from base year (2011) levels, while EU agricultural exports to the United States increase by $0.8 billion. Among major U.S. agricultural export commodities, beef and dairy exports to the EU increase the most in percentage terms.

The second report looked at the effects of technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phytosanitary measures on agricultural trade between the two trading partners. Addressing both measures could lead to an expansion in trade, the report found.

The top priorities for IDFA in the T-TIP negotiations include a reduction in tariffs and non-tariff barriers, stronger sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and protection for U.S. exporters to continue marketing cheeses with common names.

For more information, contact Beth Hughes, director of international affairs for IDFA, at bhughes@idfa.org.