Brussels, 13/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - EU Trade Commissioner Caroline Ashton has welcomed the United States decision of 12 March 2009 to postpone for a month 'carousel' sanctions against various European products, including Roquefort cheese from France, in retaliation against the EU ban on imports of hormone-treated beef. “We welcome the US decision to postpone the introduction of these sanctions. The EU and the US are engaged in negotiations to find a way forward on this issue, and I am confident we will find a solution very soon,” said Ashton (see EUROPE 9857). On 15 January 2009, the outgoing US Administration announced that it was tightening its sanctions against some EU exports in a bid to force the EU to accept hormone-treated beef imports. The tougher sanctions include a trebling of import duty on Roquefort cheese. (E.H. trans fl)