The European Union's top trade negotiator, Mr Pascal Lamy, said today he had the impression from US officials and lawmakers that Washington might fail to meet a March 1st deadline to avoid EU sanctions.
The EU wants the United States to end trade measures ruled illegal by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). But neither of the two chambers of the US Congress has finished work on a bill.
The EU has threatened $200 million of sanctions from March.
"They say it seems difficult that they will pass the legislation," Mr Lamy told reporters.
But he noted that the $200 million of US goods that will be affected by any EU measures was only a small part of overall transatlantic trade and rejected the idea that any launch of the sanctions would amount to a trade war.
"We are in a race against the clock," he added.