Sweden's Cecilia Malmstrom won European Parliament backing to become the European Union's next trade chief, people close to the matter said. Malmstrom, a free-trade advocate and a centrist politician, will be responsible for negotiating an accord with the United States that could bring huge economic benefits but is dividing Europeans over issues ranging from food to investor protection. Malmstrom is due to take up her post from Nov. 1 but under EU rules, she can only do so once all of the new European Commission, the EU executive, is approved. (Reuters)