Why America’s ‘Beautiful Beef’ Is a Trade War Sore Point for Europe

The European Commission emphasized that EU food safety standards are inviolable, a stance seen as blocking trade deals with the U.S. While discussions about U.S.-led trade agreements, including with Britain on beef, have been raised, there's no clear indication of willingness to lower these standards. For the EU, allowing hormone-free beef without tariffs already provides significant access, making equivalent deals redundant for American farmers. Conversely, while some issues like high chicken tariffs persist, broader meat restrictions remain limited. The immutability of EU health and safety regulations thus complicates trade negotiations on agricultural products.