I welcome the agreement signed today between the EU and the United States on the trade in beef. The deal negotiated shows that, even in difficult areas, when the two sides work together constructively they can find solutions which are in the interest of both. This WTO-compliant agreement not only upholds our high ecological and food safety standards but also safeguards our economic interests. What is more, it ensures that tariffs are not imposed on EU exports. Above all, however, the agreement demonstrates that the EU and the United States can reach an agreement on trade if both sides are prepared to make the effort. I now call on the United States to finally start the negotiations on an industrial tariff agreement in earnest.