The Taoiseach has said he remains “hopeful” that the European Union and the United States can strike a deal on tariffs, reports Breaking News.
Micheál Martin noted that both parties are still working through the “fine detail” of what future arrangements might look like.
This comes ahead of a Wednesday deadline to finalise an agreement with the Trump administration, which is increasing pressure on trade partners by threatening to hike tariffs significantly above the current 10% rate, reports Breaking News.
Following a phone conversation with the European Commission President, Mr Martin told reporters that Ursula von der Leyen had updated him on the “most up to date situation”.
Mr Martin said: “We remain hopeful that the US and the European Union can agree an outline agreement or framework principle agreement this week. There’s still a number of issues to negotiated, nothing has been rejected, definitively. But what it does illustrate, though, that even if a framework agreement is arrived at, there would be a lot of negotiations subsequently,” reports Breaking News.
“So therefore, whilst it would create some degree of clarity in terms of where we are in the short term, there would still be a number of issues outstanding in respect of that trade issue between the European Union and the United States and indeed between other countries,” reports Breaking News.
Mr Martin added that he backs the European Commission’s approach of pursuing an agreement to ensure stability for consumers, businesses, and industry.
Asked if he expected a 10 per cent baseline tariff to remain in place, the Taoiseach said: “There are certain realities that probably will emerge from this that will have impact – and are having impact – on a number of sectors. But at least it gives us some sense of the landscape that we have to deal with,” reports Breaking News.
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