Brussels, 21/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - The next meeting of the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC), scheduled initially for 28 October, has been postponed because of its closeness with mid-term elections in the United States in early November but also because it is not a priority of the US administration, states Inside US Trade of 17 September. According to the American weekly, those concerned nonetheless trust the meeting will be held at the end of October or in mid-November, in the run up to the EU-US economic summit on 20 November, on the sidelines of the NATO summit. Sources cited by Inside US Trade specify that there is no clear indication of the agenda for the next TEC, but nonetheless express the hope that discussion will turn to issues relating to clean energy cooperation and harmonisation of standards for clean technology, multilateral Doha Round trade talks at the WTO, or the mutual recognition of standardisation systems with a view to reducing non-tariff barriers, such as the mutual recognition of customs regulations, a question that was on the TEC agenda in the past. The American weekly adds that no updating of progress made by TEC has been given to business circles since the meeting in Washington in May this year between European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht and White House International Economic Affairs Adviser Mike Froman. The two joint TEC presidents had agreed on 11 May to give fresh impetus to the TEC, without, however, setting a timetable (see EUROPE 10141). The last TEC meeting dates back to October 2009, before the second Barroso Commission took up its duties (see EUROPE 10008). (E.H./transl.jl)