This deal will remove the legal uncertainty which has hung over this trade for several years and benefit producers on both sides of the Atlantic.

to be very offensive on finding an end-date. It will not be the EU that is lagging.

We will be back next week,

The EU has carefully analyzed the (first WTO) arbitration award, revised its proposal accordingly, and initiated consultations with our Latin American and ACP partners on this basis,

Despite our efforts, we were not able to come to an agreement with our partners. Nor did they present an alternative proposal of their own. Time is now running out for the introduction of the tariff-only regime by the beginning of next year. This is why we are requesting a second round of arbitration today.

To say we have been holding back or not moving is simply not true.