Northern Ireland’s position ‘complex’ amid incoming US tariffs

Wed, 09 Apr, 2025 - 12:27

By Rebecca Black, PA

The UK and Irish governments have been pressed to keep in mind Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances in their response to US president Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The import taxes announced by the US president last week, including a 10 per cent charge on UK goods, a 20 per cent on EU goods (including the Republic of Ireland), took effect from midnight Washington time – just after 5am in the UK.

While Northern Ireland is part of the UK, it remains in the EU single market for goods under post-Brexit arrangements.

Stormont Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald gives evidence to her department’s scrutiny committee at Parliament Buildings, Stormont (NI Assembly/PA)

Stormont Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald said last Wednesday she met with UK Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and with the Tánaiste Simon Harris, adding there was agreement for “early, frequent and open engagement”, and said the discussions have continued.

She described her asks of the two governments as including to keep Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances in mind in trade negotiations and counter measures, to minimise divergence between the UK and EU and to provide an advice service for businesses.

Speaking during an appearance at the Stormont Economy Committee on Wednesday morning, Ms Archibald outlined a “complex situation” and described potential tariffs coming on pharmaceuticals as “really concerning”.

She also announced the establishment of a working group with representatives from businesses to advise on the response to tariffs.

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley put to Ms Archibald that businesses need clarity, and said he did not believe they were getting clarity from the department.

Brexit — DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley (Mark Marlow/PA)

He also queried whether Sinn Fein representatives, including Ms Archibald and First Minister Michelle O’Neill, were focused on protecting the all Ireland economy, and whether they are advocating for businesses in Northern Ireland to be hit with the higher tariff impacting EU countries.

Ms Archibald responded: “None of us has clarity at the minute in respect of what tariffs mean. I have had the opportunity over recent days to engage with our business community and key business leaders and trade union leaders, and the lack of clarity, the lack of information is something that is being highlighted by them.

“We of course as a department are working hard to understand what the implications are, to understand the Executive Order itself.

“I know of businesses that are subject to the tariffs that have already been implemented in relation to steel and aluminium, who are exporting to the US and who have goods that are caught up at customs in of being processed at the minute.

“It’s a very complex situation that we’re facing.”

She added: “The narrative that we’re not so badly off because we only got 10 per cent tariffs isn’t a good one because 10 per cent tariffs are bad, all tariffs are bad for business, so I think it’s important to recognise the impact that this is going to have.

“All the uncertainty as well is really destabilising for businesses and a key concern that was reflected in discussions that we had earlier in the week with businesses was that this has the potential not just to impact on business in of the tariffs themselves but the fact that this could turn into to a global slow down and I think that’s where none of us want to be.”