Obama urges movement on trade talks with Europe this year

Reuters
U.S. President Barack Obama finishes signing the bill H.R. 2 Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, the so-called Medicare 'doc fix,' in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington April 16, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday said trade talks with Europe need to make major progress this year following an agreement on trade promotion authority in Congress. "Now that Congress is considering important bipartisan legislation for trade promotion authority, TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) negotiations need to make major progress this year," Obama said at a joint news conference with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at the White House. (Reporting by Jeff Mason, Julia Edwards, Susan Heavey; Editing by Doina Chiacu)