As far as the WTO agenda is concerned, we told him that we particularly need to see substantial reductions in agricultural subsidies and other barriers to farm trade. Progress on agriculture is essential to the political viability of any eventual agreement in Congress. There are a number of individual issues that need to be addressed before we get to Seattle. In today's meeting we urged Commissioner Lamy that we need to see Europe's compliance with WTO panel decisions on bananas and beef. I told him that we are interested in market access for our goods, not retaliation against European products.
Retaliation helps no one.
Roth also expressed concern over the European Union rules on aircraft noise abatement. Roth told the Commissioner that the EU's rules on noise abatement have become a serious irritant in our trade relations that needs to be removed.