Harris to hold talks with NI leaders over US trade deals

Tanaiste Simon Harris will hold talks with the leaders of the Northern Ireland Executive on trade deals with the US later on Thursday.

A focus of the talks will be the prospect of two different tariff rates being applied on the island, which Mr Harris has warned will pose “huge complexities” for businesses.

An agreement was recently reached that will see most goods exported from the EU to the US subject to a 15% tariff.

However, exports from Northern Ireland into the US are subject to a 10% levy, under a separate deal made between the UK and the US.

The talks with Northern Ireland politicians come ahead of a trade forum of business stakeholders in Government Buildings in Dublin on Friday.

The forum has been called to map out Ireland’s response to the announcement that 15% tariffs will be applied on EU goods.

A spokesperson for Mr Harris said: “With a lower tariff rate of 10% announced for the UK, the Tanaiste will seek the views of stakeholders as to the scale of the challenge that would be posed by two different rates.”

Mr Harris is also expected to receive an update on Thursday from the EU’s leading negotiator on trade, Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.

They will discuss the ongoing work by the European Commission to agree a final negotiation text with the US, and whether exemptions may be granted for certain sectors.