EU BARRIERS FOR U.S. EXPORTERS AND INVESTORS

U.S. exporters and investors face persistent barriers to entering, maintaining, or expanding their presence in certain sectors of the EU market. Some of the most significant barriers have endured despite repeated efforts at resolution through bilateral consultations or WTO dispute settlement.

TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE / SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY BARRIERS

Technical Barriers to Trade

• European Standardization and Conformity Assessment Procedures
• Civil Nuclear Technologies
• Chemicals: Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals ( REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals)
• Nanomaterials
• Community Rolling Action Plan
• Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) Roadmap
• Court of Justice of the European Union, Judgment in the Case C-106/14
• Cosmetics: Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) Ingredient Reviews & Amendments to the EU Cosmetics Regulation
• Renewable Fuels: Renewable Energy Directive
• Transport Fuel: Fuel Quality Directive
• Trucks: Maximum Authorized Dimensions
• Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)
• Nutritional Labeling
• Fishery and Aquaculture Labeling
• Agriculture Quality Schemes
• Wine Traditional Terms
• Distilled Spirits Aging Requirements
• Certification of Animal Welfare

Sanitary and Phytosanitary BarriersANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY BARRIERS

• Hormones and Beta Agonists
• Animal Cloning
• Agricultural Biotechnology
• Pathogen Reduction Treatments
• Export Certification
• Somatic Cell Count
• EU Flavorings
• Citrus Canker
• Proposal for Categorization of Compounds as Endocrine Disruptors
• Animal Byproducts, Including Tallow
• Live Cattle
• Certification Requirements for Marinated Pork
• Specified Risk Materials Certification Requirement
• Pesticides and Maximum Residue Limits
• Fosetyl-al
• Diphenylamine
• Agriculture Biotechnology Cultivation Opt-Out

AGRICULTURE

• Bananas
• Husked Rice Agreement
• Meursing Table Tariff Codes
• Subsidies for Fruit and Vegetables

MARKET ACCESS

Tariffs

The EU’s average applied MFN tariff rate is 4.8 percent. The average agricultural tariff rate is 10.9 percent, and the average non-agricultural rate is 3.9 percent. All of the EU’s tariffs are bound at the WTO. Although the EU’s tariffs are generally low for non-agricultural goods, there are also some high tariffs that affect U.S. exports, such as rates up to 26 percent for fish and seafood, 14 percent for audio-visual equipment, 10 percent for passenger vehicles, 22 percent for trucks, 6.5 percent for fertilizers and plastics, 10 percent for processed wood products, and 14 percent for bicycles.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS PROTECTION

• A new right for press publishers
• “Value gap” provision
• Mandatory exceptions in the field of research and education.
• Rules regarding online broadcasting

SERVICES BARRIERS

Telecommunications

• European Electronic Communications Code
• Termination Rates

Television Broadcasting and Audiovisual Services

• Audiovisual Media Services Directive
• Satellite and Cable Directive

Legal Services

Accounting and Auditing Services

Retailing

EU Enlargement

INVESTMENT BARRIERS

GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT

SUBSIDIES

• Government Support for Airbus
• Government Support for Airbus Suppliers

CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION

BARRIERS TO DIGITAL TRADE

• Data Localization
• Data Transfer Consultation
• General Data Protection Regulation
• Right To Be Forgotten

Electronic Privacy Regulation

• Privacy Shield

Interactive Computer Services

• Aggregation Services

Other Issues

• Geo-blocking
• Cross-Border Contract Rules