US tariffs: EU rules out changes to 'sacrosanct' food standards 

EU's food standards described as a red line as trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic met US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick

The EU has ruled out changes to food standards in any negotiations with the US on trade, describing them as “sacrosanct” and a “red line”, even as it said the ball is now in the US court on further negotiations.

EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic met with US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick this week.

The EU’s trade spokesperson, Olof Gill, described the talks as a “very focused and productive meeting”.

However, the EU has called for the US to outline exactly what it wants out of the negotiations.

“We need to have a clear idea about what their preferred outcomes are,” Mr Gill said.

An existing EU offer for zero-for-zero tariffs on industrial goods and cars remains on the table.

“We’re willing to look at a range of other areas as well, but we would need an additional level of engagement from the US to keep the ball rolling forward,” he added.

It comes as the US administration is continuing probes into imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors as part of bids to place tariffs on both sectors.

The probe is on grounds that extensive reliance on foreign production of both medicine and chips is a national security threat, according to the Federal Register filings.

Enterprise minister Peter Burke, meanwhile, has warned the US against introducing pharma tariffs, saying it could lead to increased medicine costs for US consumers.

However, he pushed back when asked if Ireland was overexposed to the US market, saying Ireland hopes to retain the “majority, if not all of the market share”.

Mr Burke added the Government would be looking at diversifying trade in Asia and the Pacific.