Economy and trade.

• Position: Brief article

Transatlantic trade has been a major force in promoting prosperity and underpinning security in Europe and the United States. It remains the world's largest trade flow and, de facto, its strongest regional trading block. Should it be left untouched until the world can manage to agree on a new pact for global trade liberalization? Or has the moment come for a different initiative, for example, a Transatlantic Free-Trade Agreement or TAFTA? It's a big bold idea, with a potential bumper pay-off. So far, it is only speculation signaled by occasional trial balloons. But if talks started on TAFTA, would it spur the rest...