Ireland’s main tariff response is ‘putting everything’ into EU-US deal, Minister says

The main plank of the Government’s response to the threat of United States tariffs on Irish pharmaceuticals will remain “putting everything” into helping the EU get the best possible deal, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke has said.

The Cabinet approved a proposal from Mr Burke setting out 16 immediate actions to be taken to improve competitiveness for Irish businesses including: early ratification of the controversial Ceta trade agreement with Canada; intensive exploration of new markets in Asia, the Middle East and Europe; reductions in regulatory burdens; and tapering back benefits promised to employees.

However, the Minister accepted that the main focus for him and his Government colleagues will be on negotiations to allay the threat of tariffs, especially on pharmaceutical exports worth €58 billion a year.

“We have to be honest,” said Mr Burke. “Tariffs are bad. They are a significant threat to our economic model. When you have a very open economy like ours, any imposition suc...
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