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Europe will fight for own standards in U.S. trade talks - Merkel

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europe will insist on upholding its own standards in free trade talks with the United States, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday, adding she supported the European Commission's efforts to get a deal this year.

"While we hurry to set up the main political points and framework for this agreement we must also at the same time insist on maintaining the standards which we have in Europe," she said at a joint news conference with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

The European Union is in talks with the United States over a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal which would eliminate tariff barriers. Germany is, however, worried about investor protection and the way cross-border disputes between investors and states are settled.

(Reporting via Berlin Newsroom; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Michael Nienaber)