the expiry in mid-2007 of the U.S. president's authority to do trade deals with minimal Congressional scrutiny. Brazil -- which has a booming agricultural sector -- and other nations including the United States and Australia complain that the EU's proposals to cut its barriers for farm imports are too timid. Brussels insists it has gone as far as it can, given the resistance of some EU members such as France to more concessions. The EU says it wants developing countries, led by Brazil, to make an offer on removing barriers for industrial exports and services. France has threatened to block any deal with which it is not happy. Barroso said France had the right to issue such threats but he added that he also had to listen to the views of other EU member states.
