Northern Ireland has been reacting to President Donald Trump’s international trade tariff announcements, made in Washington last night.
Exports from the UK – including Northern Ireland – to the USA will face a 10% tariff, lower than most expectations. And this is before any negotiations post-announcement between the US and UK Governments.
But exports from the EU – including the Republic of Ireland – have been slapped with a 20% tariff, an announcement which has already prompted widespread alarm in business, economic and governmental circles in Dublin.
Northern Ireland Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald described the tariff announcement as “deeply regrettable”. She says that she has engaged with the Republic’s Tanaiste and the UK’s Trade Secretary to discuss the issue – and has called for both governments to help protect the NI economy.
It’s unlikely, though, that Northern Ireland will be high on their agendas in the immediate wake of the White House announcements.
Reaction from business circles here has been muted. “We’re going to have to work out what’s the implication of this – where’s the cost going to fall,” Roger Pollen of the Federation of Small Business NI told BBC News NI.
“All of those sorts of things will shake out over time but at the moment it causes a lot of uncertainty which is unwelcome.”
He added: “I wouldn’t want to suggest that 10% is low and that it’s not going to cause immense problems for a lot of people. But do think it’s lower than might have been feared.”
And the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce also reacted with caution.
Stuart Anderson, the chamber’s Director of Public Affairs and International Relations, told the BBC that Northern Ireland was in a unique position.
“Yes, Northern Ireland is still part of the UK customs territory and therefore our exports on the face of it seem to have a 10% differential with the south (Republic of Ireland), however that’s really a complex question that really goes down to difficult things like rules of origin which are difficult to get to the bottom of,” he said.