U.S. On Track To Double Exports

President Barack Obama says the U.S. should be able to meet his ambitious target of doubling U.S. exports before 2015. At a White House meeting last week, Obama told his advisory council on exports that the best way to increase sales abroad is to press ahead with efforts to negotiate free-trade agreements with Europe and Asia. The President said he is “modestly optimistic” that U.S. and European Union negotiators can conclude a trans-Atlantic trade pact, even though previous efforts have failed. The 27 member nations of the EU are struggling to reignite economic growth because of the austerity policies that have been put in place across that region. “They are hungrier for a deal than they have been in the past,” Obama told the group of business executives. The U.S. is also negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership with 10 nations and hopes to wrap up those talks later this year.