The Irish Independent's View: Donald Trump's trade victory over EU has wider implications
The devil will be in the detail, and the detail is not altogether clear at this point.
However, the response on the EU side to the deal has been less than enthusiastic. The accusation of a capitulation hangs over Von der Leyen. A deafening silence has emerged from the Elysee Palace in Paris as French president Emmanuel Macron mulls over the agreement. But French prime minister Francois Bayrou called the trade deal a 'dark day' for Europe.
He accused negotiators of caving in to the US side by accepting an unbalanced deal. France wanted the EU to take a tougher stance against Trump.
Viktor Orban said Trump ate Von der Leyen for breakfast
The mood music from Berlin and Rome was altogether different, as Germany and Italy wanted a more conciliatory approach. And there is a question mark over whether Macron really wanted an all-out trade war with the US. Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban said Trump ate Von der Leyen for breakfast and he suspected such an outcome, as the US president is a 'heavyweight when it comes to negotiations while Madame President is featherweight'.
The deal, as outlined so far, has got a mixed response on this island. The level of certainty is welcome, the outcome isn't, and the impact is unclear.
Already, the point is being made that different tariffs on either side of the Border will now be solidified. Northern Ireland exporters will face a 10pc tariff as they fall under the more favourable UK trade deal. But traders on this side of the Border are facing a 15pc regime. The variation will particularly come into play for producers of whiskey because Jameson will be charged more than Bushmills when it is exported to the US. Nobody in the EU will be in any mood to reopen the customs arrangements in the wake of Brexit, so the existing system will just have to ensure there is no taking advantage of the alternative regimes.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has welcomed the trade agreement between the US and EU as having 'avoided a damaging trade war'. Pointing to the wider geopolitical and defence considerations at play, the Taoiseach said it 'opens up the prospect of more significant strategic collaboration between the US and Europe on quite a number of issues'.
Trump had the upper hand as he instigated the tariffs, appeared willing to proceed with his strategy and had other security cards to play. He got what he wanted and will claim a victory over Europe, even if the impact is still to be determined.
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