Tánaiste Simon Harris has held a meeting with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in Washington DC, reports RTE.
The discussion, held at the Department of Commerce, provided an opportunity to review the strong economic, trade, and investment ties between Ireland and the United States.
It also served as a moment to assess the progress of implementing the EU-US Framework on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade, which was agreed upon in July, reports RTE.
The two leaders explored the possibility of expanding the list of products that are not subject to the standard 15% tariff rate.
This issue is of particular relevance to Ireland, especially in relation to the spirits and med-tech industries. They also addressed non-tariff trade barriers and the ongoing Section 232 reviews concerning pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, reports RTE.
Their discussions included an exchange of views on the potential extension of Section 232 actions affecting steel and aluminium, with emphasis on how this could impact Irish producers, particularly in the agri-tech industry.
The meeting followed an announcement by US President Donald Trump introducing a new 100% tariff on branded pharmaceutical imports from companies that have not established production facilities in the United States, reports RTE.
Mr Harris also brought up the US’s recent proposal to increase H1B visa application fees, stressing the significance of ensuring access for highly skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and innovators to enter and work in the US.
More generally, the meeting allowed for a broader conversation on the mutually advantageous economic partnership between Ireland and the US, and ways to maintain and strengthen it moving forward, reports RTE.
The Tánaiste also took the opportunity to brief Mr Lutnick on the economic report Ireland and the USA: a shared economic story, which he launched recently.
The report highlights the footprint and influence of Irish businesses investing in all 50 US states, reports RTE.
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