EU Prepared To Lift Tariffs on US Goods as Part of Trade Deal

Protections on a few products like beef and pork will remain

(Reuters) - The European Union will offer to lift tariffs on nearly all goods imported from the United States as part of negotiations towards the world's largest free-trade deal, people familiar with the proposal have told Reuters.

The offer will be made on Monday, a week ahead of face-to-face talks between EU trade chief Karel De Gucht and his U.S. counterpart Michael Froman in Washington, they said.

The European Commission, which handles trade issues for the EU's 28 member states, will tell the United States how far it is willing to open its markets, while U.S. officials are expected to do the same.

Officials familiar with the EU's proposal have told Reuters the European Union will offer to lift 96 percent of existing import tariffs, retaining protection for just a few sensitive products such as beef, poultry and pork.