The failure to reach agreement over freer world trade is, says the Dutch Minister for Economic Affairs, largely the fault of the United States.

Maria van der Hoeven says Washington refuses to cooperate in the lowering and removal of trade barriers. She says the main victims of this in the Netherlands are flower growers and the meat and dairy industries.
 
Ms van der Hoeven says the US always pays lip service to free trade but fails to make it a reality. She added that if the US builds fences around itself, other countries will do the same.
 
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