France rules out imminent EU-US trade agreement

paris — France said Tuesday it wanted to halt thorny EU-US trade talks as President Francois Hollande said there would be no deal at least until after President Barack Obama leaves office in January.

Junior trade minister Matthias Fekl said there was “no more political support in France” for the talks because US negotiators were offering “nothing or just crumbs”.

“France calls for an end to these negotiations,” Fekl told RMC radio. Hollande, in a speech to France’s diplomatic corps, chose his words more carefully but said it would be an ‘illusion’ to say a deal was close.

Minister resigns

France’s Emmanuel Macron resigned as economy minister on Tuesday, the presidency said, fuelling rumours the 38-year-old will stand for president in next year’s elections.

Macron quit “to dedicate himself entirely to his political movement”, the presidency said, referring to ‘En Marche’ (On the Move), which he founded in April.—