“We’ll be using that voice to back up what Commissioner Sefcovic says, which is that while, of course, the initiation of tariffs have the ability to do such harm to all those involved in trade, and Europe will have to respond back, at the same time, we should be looking at dialogue and negotiation to avoid trade disputes and practices developing that will cause harm to us all.
“It is why I hope, as we look at all of the different things that we are dealing with at the moment across the world, we can still work together in the weeks and months ahead to avoid a very significant trade dispute that would have, I believe, a really big effect on the performance of the global economy and on big trading regions and countries within the world economy, like America and the European Union, and that’s the work we’re going to try and do with President Trump’s administration.”.
Mr Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with the amount of US goods bought by the EU compared to EU goods bought by the US.
Asked about the so-called special relationship Ireland has with the US, Mr Donohoe said Ireland will be “using that voice” to highlight what is of benefit to Ireland and Europe.
He said they would repeat EU Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic’s comments that tariffs are “economically counterproductive” for the EU and US, particularly given “integrated” supply chains and investment ties.
