The EU and US called Thursday for "as much progress as possible" to be made toward sealing a massive trade deal at a fresh round of talks in New York next month.
The two sides issued the statement following a round of trade talks in Brussels clouded by suspicions in Europe that the deal would undercut the 28-nation bloc's standards in key areas such as health and welfare.
EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem met in Brussels with US Trade Representative Michael Froman to "take stock of the ongoing negotiations" for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
Malmstroem has previously admitted there would be no deal by the end of this year as originally envisaged when the talks started in 2013.
But the joint statement said: "We had a good meeting where we reviewed the substantial progress being made and discussed next steps for moving forward.
"We have directed our teams to make as much progress as possible during the next round, scheduled for the week of October 3 in New York," it added.
French President Francois Hollande has said there would be no deal at least until after US President Barack Obama steps down in January.
France's Junior Trade Minister Matthias Fekl said Wednesday that the proposed agreement no longer enjoys political support in France even if he conceded Paris could not block the talks.
The TTIP — which would create the world's biggest free trade market of 850 million consumers stretching from Hawaii to Lithuania — has become a hot potato as key elections approach in the United States, France and Germany.
Leaks about the proposed deal have sparked serious concerns among many Europeans that they will be giving up control over sensitive areas, such as the use of pesticides and hormones in food production.
Another issue that has raised hackles is plans for a special court to speed up cases by companies against governments over breaches of regulatory issues, which opponents see as giving firms a veto over public policy, particularly in social and environmental areas.

Source: Arab News