EU-US talks on free trade eyed for 2013 / Agreement would create giant market

BRUSSELS—The European Commission hopes to start talks in the first half of next year on a comprehensive partnership agreement between the United States and the European Union, including a U.S.-EU free trade pact, according to a senior official of the commission.

The commission plans to present the proposal to EU member countries, the official said Monday. If it goes forward, the EU and the United States will take the first step toward creating a single free trade zone that would account for 50 percent of the world’s gross domestic product.