Growing hope of trade deal to avoid tariffs between EU and US, says Tanaiste Simon Harris
Simon Harris, said the 'mood music' has improved in recent days and that he is more 'encouraged' following a discussion earlier today with Donald Trump's Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer.
Last month Trump lashed out an EU negotiators and threatened a 50pc tariff from June 1 as punishment for 'our discussions with them going nowhere.'
But a phone call with the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen two days later put discussions back on track and pushed the tariffs start date back to July.
With that deadline approaching Minister Harris said: 'there isn't a day to lose' and while there is a 'way to go.. negotiations have now begun in earnest'.
He said: 'What we need to find out in the days ahead, is there a landing zone that can work for everyone? And quite frankly, there has to be because this transatlantic trade agreement matters.'
The EU and Ireland want to negotiate an outcome, he said 'and from my discussion with President Trump's trade representative, I think he wants that as well.'
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade said: 'The deadline for the pause in tariffs will run out in July so it is very important that people intensively engage, there isn't a day to lose here.
"But I do now think that the mood music, in terms of trying to find a deal, to find agreement, is somewhat better than what it was days ago.
The relationship is worth more than €1.4 trillion between the EU and US 'it cannot be snuffed at and therefore a solution has to be found,' he said.
On Tuesday Minister Harris told Cabinet colleagues that he would urge the EU to exempt key sectors key to the Irish economy from any retaliatory tariffs should the current negotiations fail.
These would include aviation, medical, agrifood and the equine industry. In a letter to the EU's negotiator, Maros Sefcovic, he also urged the trade commissioner to ensure that any retaliation against the US would not adversely impact the North.
Although talks between the EU and US have intensified in recent days, the EU has been preparing a list of hundreds of US products worth some €95bn.
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