German econ min welcomes European mandate for trade talks with U.S.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Economy Minister Peter Altmaier on Friday welcomed that the European Commission published negotiation mandates for trade talks with the United States and said the goal was to bring down trade barriers.

"The goal is to bring down trade barriers and to build up new transatlantic trade ties", he said in a statement.

The European Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 28-member European Union, published two negotiating mandates on Friday.

(The refiled story deletes extraneous word in second paragraph.)

(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; editing by Thomas Seythal)