Obama urges 'major progress' this year on US-EU trade pact

US President Barack Obama said Friday he wants to see "major progress" in 2015 on a huge free trade agreement currently under negotiation between Washington and the 28-member European Union.

"Now that Congress is considering bipartisan legislation, TTIP negotiations need to make major progress this year," Obama told a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at the White House.

His comment came one day after senior US lawmakers reached a deal on legislation giving Obama "trade promotion authority" to conclude the landmark accord without Congress's ability to make changes.