Brussels, 13/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - In a common resolution from the EPP-ED, PES, ALDE, Greens and UEN, adopted on 8 May just before the 2nd Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC), the European Parliament gives is support to the process for fostering the transatlantic economic integration, launched during the EU/US summit of April 2007, through adoption of a framework for speeding up transatlantic economic integration and setting up a TEC (EUROPE 9418). Agreeing on the necessity of a convergence in standards and the elimination of non-tariff barriers to consolidate transatlantic relations, the EP has approved the ongoing initiatives such as those that seek mutual recognition of securities markets, convergence in financial accounting standards, and implementation of common standards for maximising safety of imported products. The EP welcomed the progress accomplished at this stage by the TEC (EUROPE 9541), and also gives its opinion on several pending trade disputes: on the file on imports into the EU of US poultry that has undergone chlorine water treatment; it calls for an “urgent solution” that takes into account investment in the European poultry sector in an effort to reduce contamination by salmonella; on the dossier on cattle containing hormones, it believes that the EU import ban is “entirely justified” by scientific studies, and calls on Washington to lift sanctions on European goods; on the GMO dossier, it underlines the importance of single authorisation procedures to all foodstuffs and animal feed containing GMOs. (E.H.)