Trump and von der Leyen tariff meeting needed 'as quickly as possible', says minister

The minister of enterprise, Peter Burke, was speaking at the launch of the national semiconductor strategy at the Tyndall Institute in Cork. The strategy, called Silicon Island, outlines plans for creating high-value jobs. Picture: Gerard McCarthy Photography

A meeting between US president Donald Trump and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in the White House needs to happen quickly as the clock counts down the 90-day pause on tariffs, according to Ireland’s enterprise minister.

Peter Burke has said that such a meeting is vital, adding: “The US market is going to remain a very, very important market from Ireland’s perspective. It is important that Europe gets around the table as quickly as possible, that we get president von der Leyen into the White House. That hasn’t happened yet, and that’s a big concern. That needs to happen.” 

He said he appreciates that, in the modern era, it is very difficult to negotiate trading relationships in terms of free-trade agreements.

"We have seen over the last number of years some of them have taken a decade or more in some instances. That is why you would wonder about the bandwidth the US administration has when it is dealing with 80 or 90 countries at the one time. 

"It is very difficult trying to progress deals in each, but the EU relationship is one of the most important — we would argue — to the US administration.” 

EU-US relationship

He said he held bilateral meetings with politicians in the House of Representatives and the senate during a US visit last week during, which he pointed out “the importance of the relationship between the EU and the US and trying to ensure that we get heads around the table”.

He added: “We really need that to happen urgently.” 

He also said it is important that progress is made in talks between European commissioner for trade Maros Sefcovic and the US secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick.

The US launched an investigation on April 1 to assess the impacts of imports on the US pharmaceutical industry.

Mr Burke said: “We have fed into that process through the EU to try to point out that this is a very highly integrated relationship, and that the US benefits significantly from the pharma manufacturing in Ireland in terms of very significant innovation payments — through royalties and licences — billions of euro into the heart of the US economy. That has to be pointed out quite robustly to the US administration.” 

Mr Burke was speaking at the launch of the national semiconductor strategy at the Tyndall Institute in Cork.

The strategy, called Silicon Island, outlines plans for creating high-value jobs, attracting major investment and deepening the country’s leadership in cutting-edge technology as a key player in Europe’s semiconductor future.

Mr Burke said that, by 2040, Ireland could support up to 34,500 new semiconductor roles.