Ireland's Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris.RollingNews.ie
Tánaiste Simon Harris has raised concerns that differing tariffs between Northern Ireland and the Republic could cause "huge complexities" for Irish businesses, following new trade measures announced by US President Donald Trump.
Speaking after talks with leaders of the Northern Ireland Executive, Mr. Harris said the current arrangement risks incentivising companies in the Republic to shift operations north of the border in order to benefit from more favourable US tariff terms.
Under a new deal agreed between the UK and the United States, goods exported from Northern Ireland to the US will face a 10% tariff.
In contrast, most goods exported from the Republic—alongside the rest of the EU—will be subject to a 15% levy, following a broader EU-US trade agreement.
The disparity has triggered fears of market distortions, particularly for Irish exporters competing with Northern rivals under more advantageous conditions.
The Tánaiste’s engagement with Stormont leaders comes ahead of a trade forum being held today at Government Buildings in Dublin.
The event aims to coordinate Ireland's response to the dual-tariff landscape and assess potential impacts on investment and jobs.
A spokesperson for Mr. Harris stated: “With a lower tariff rate of 10% announced for the UK, the Tánaiste 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 due to receive an update from EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič regarding ongoing negotiations with the US.
Exemptions for certain sectors may be under discussion as the European Commission works toward a final agreement.
Today I will convene the Government Trade Forum bringing together key stakeholders and Government agencies. A chance to take stock and share insights on the EU-US trading environment, to consider preliminary analysis on economic impact & controlling what is within our control pic.twitter.com/ehZj57ZdlT
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) August 1, 2025
Meanwhile, President Trump has pushed forward with sweeping import duties on a wide range of trading partners.
These include 35% on Canadian goods, 50% for Brazil, 25% for India, and up to 41% for others.
Goods not covered under special deals will face a baseline 10% US import tax, with implementation set to begin within the week.
Businesses across the island of Ireland now face significant uncertainty as the transatlantic trade landscape shifts once again.
*This article was originally published on BusinessPlus.ie.