Brussels, 08/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - Brussels will play host on 12 and 13 May 2008 to the 2nd Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC), co-chaired by EU Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen and international economic affairs advisor to US President George Bush, Dan Price. The two men will focus on progress in regulatory cooperation, particularly on pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and animal testing/ recent developments concerning US chicken treated with chlorinated water (see EUROPE 9638 and 9646); progress in easing safety assessment procedures for electronic devices and ITC; progress on the mutual recognition on compatibility standards; issues concerning the financial markets; and approximation of biofuel standards. Briefing reporters in Brussels on Thursday 8 May, President Bush's special envoy to the EU, Boyden Gray, said that the US was not expecting a breakthrough at the TEC as such, but hoped there would be progress in the talks on two key issues - imports of US cosmetics and chlorine-treated chicken. Washington is anxious that the chicken question can be settled before the EU-United States summit in Slovenia in June 2008. On cosmetics, there are two stumbling blocks - non-recognition by the United States of safety tests on EU cosmetics that are not carried out on animals; and the EU's new rules on the testing of chemical products which risk blocking imports of certain cosmetics from the US. The TEC is expected to issue a joint EU-United States statement on opening up to investment (see EUROPE 9640). (E.H.)