US, EU aim to ease some trade barriers by November

U.S. trade officials say they hope to reach an agreement with the European Union on lifting some technical barriers to trade between the two powers by November.

Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer's office said Monday that "we hope for an early harvest in the area of technical barriers to trade," following talks with EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom.

President Donald Trump and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker agreed in July to start talks intended to achieve "zero tariffs" and "zero subsidies" on non-automotive industrial goods, in an effort to avert a possible trade war.

Malmstrom has expressed hopes of clinching a "limited trade agreement focused on tariffs on goods only."

Lighthizer and Malmstrom will meet again this month, and in November, "to finalize outcomes in a number of areas."