Brussels, 19/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - Commissioner Pascal Lamy left for the United States on Wednesday where he will be on an official two-day trip devoted to the main current trade topics. Among the problems that will no doubt dominate talks he will have, Thursday and Friday, with representatives of the Administration, Congress, industry and trade unions, the conflict over steel, tax relief on exports (FSC) deployed by the United States but prohibited by the WTO, the new oversized envelope provided for for American farmers, and the so-called "Fast Track" authority that would give President Bush and his team a free hand to negotiate trade agreement will all have a choice place. Before going to Washington, Mr. Lamy stopped off, Wednesday evening, in Atlanta that is currently hosting the World Food Forum. In the federal capital, the Commissioner was to have talks the following day with the Secretary to the Treasury Paul O'Neill (FSC, development aspects of trade, notably with Africa) then the President of the Inter-American Development Bank, Enrique Iglesias (the ongoing process on both sides of the Atlantic and the European policy towards that region). He will also meet the chairman of the influential Ways and Means Committee and Democrats Sandy Leven of the House of Representatives and Charles Grassley of the Senate. The two Houses of Congress voted in favour of granting President Bush authority over trade promotion but opting for different versions of the bill. And if Europeans feel concerned by the outcome of this procedure, sources in Brussels explain, it is especially because that Congressional free hand to the Executive would considerably facilitate ongoing negotiations on the Doha Agenda. Steel is also on the menu for these initial exchanges of views with Washington, where the green light has just been given for a second batch of exemptions for products affected by the almost prohibitive surtax since 20 March. The decision announced Tuesday evening adds 46 products to the 61 already excluded from the scope of the American safeguard provision. "We are not negotiating these exclusions, the requests are made by the companies themselves", European Commission sources recall, stressing that compensations remain necessary given the lack of likelihood of securing the exclusion of all deliveries of European steel. A face to face with workers and employers of the sector is scheduled for Thursday evening, and it is only Friday, at the end of his trip, the Mr. Lamy will meet his American counterpart Bob Zoellick, having passed by the Euro-American Business Centre.