Tánaiste told Trump trade representative tariffs ‘threaten’ US-Ireland relationship

Tariffs “threaten” relations between the US and Ireland and are bad for those on both sides of the Atlantic, the Tánaiste has told American trade representative Jamieson Greer.

Speaking after a virtual meeting with Mr Greer, Simon Harris, who is also Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, said he will stay in touch with his Washington counterpart “as we seek to bring this trade dispute to an end”.

The meeting between the pair on Thursday was described as “positive” and “constructive” by the Irish side. A readout from the Office of the US trade representative is not yet available.

The EU had been slated for a 20 per cent tariff under the reciprocal rates announced by US president Donald Trump in April. A temporary pause took the rate down to 10 per cent through July 8th.

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In late May, Mr Trump expressed frustration with the pace of talks and threatened to raise the tariff rate to 50 per cent, although he later said he would hold off on the threat until July 9th.

Thursday’s discussion followed on from a meeting between Mr Harris and US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington in April.

According to the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, the two politicians on Thursday “discussed recent trade developments, including a constructive exchange of views on the ongoing negotiations between the US and EU.”

Mr Harris said he outlined to Mr Greer the “hugely successful two-way economic relationship between the US and Ireland”.

“I explained how tariffs threaten this relationship and are bad for business, bad for consumers and bad for workers on both side of the Atlantic,” Mr Harris said.

The Tánaiste said he assured Mr Greer of Ireland’s “commitment to supporting a mutually beneficial agreement that works for the US and the EU”. He welcomed Mr Greer’s positive meeting with European commissioner for trade and economic security, Maroš Šefčovič, in Paris last week.

After the meeting with Mr Šefčovič, Mr Greer said the EU had provided the US with “a credible starting point for discussions on reciprocal trade” and the discussion showed Washington “a willingness by the EU to work with us to find a concrete way forward to achieve reciprocal trade”.

The European Commission is preparing to navigate another round of trade talks with Mr Trump’s administration. Last week, the EU threatened to speed up retaliatory measures against the US if Mr Trump follows through on his threat to impose a 50 per cent levy on steel and aluminium imports.

The Irish Government has been lobbying the European Commission to try to keep important domestic sectors like aviation, medtech, agricultural feed and whiskey out of the transatlantic trade war.