The US is gearing up for another showdown with the EU over protectionist trade barriers based on environmental concerns.

French president Sarkozy suggested a tariff on trade with countries that have not ratified the Kyoto Protocol in October. The battle over plants made with molecular plant breeding techniques seem to be never ending, despite the EU’s firm stance that these plants pose no risk to human health. The latest item on the list is the FDA approval of meat from cloned animals.

The message from US Trade Representative Susan Schwab Monday was clear, “We have been dismayed at a variety of suggestions where we see climate or the environment being used as an excuse to close markets.”