Tánaiste warns Trump’s pharma tariffs could raise drug prices and hurt global supply
Simon Harris also reiterated his call for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in response to Israel's escalating onslaught in Gaza.
The Trump administration has a "fundamental misunderstanding" of how the pharmaceutical sector works in terms of trade, Tánaiste Simon Harris has said.
The Tánaiste said pharma companies choose to locate in Ireland because they want access to 460 million consumers, and that for the US to make moves that would shrink the global reach of companies does not make any economic or financial sense.
"I would say to the president, respectfully, the disruption to supply, the impact on the price of drugs, is very real," Mr Harris said.
"I think the impact, in a very practical sense, on the companies and their ability to do business and do it in an effective and profitable way in the European Union would be challenged."
Mr Harris said it would be "acting in bad faith" if the US were to take further action against the pharmaceutical sector.
However, he said he believes good progress can be made if the EU and the US come together for negotiations.
Speaking in Brussels ahead of a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, Mr Harris said he will be highlighting Irish concerns around the inclusion of agrifood, medical technology, and aviation on the EU's list of possible countermeasures should tariff negotiations with the US fail.
The list, which includes almost 5,000 items and runs to approximately 200 pages, is still being analysed by the Government, he said.
"The EU and Ireland wants to be in a position to tear up this list. We don't ever want to see it implemented but we obviously have to be prepared if we cannot get to a place where there isn't an agreement," Mr Harris said.
He added that substantive, serious engagement between the two trading blocs needs to get underway, noting that it is now 37 days into the 90-day pause. He said he hopes the kind of meaningful engagement that led to recent deals between the US and the UK, and the US and China, can be applied to the EU.
Meanwhile, Mr Harris also reiterated his call for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in response to Israel's escalating onslaught in Gaza.
The agreement, which was established in 2000, seeks to deepen ties and promote trade between the EU and Israel.
"I can differentiate very clearly between the people of Israel and the government of Israel but the Israeli government is engaging in war crimes in Gaza," he said.
"Within the association agreement, there are human rights clauses. They are not there to make people feel good or to pad out the document.
"They are not discretionary, they are not optional. They are a core part of how this union does its business with other countries and other parts of the world and they are clearly not being adhered to."
Mr Harris said he intends to formally raise the matter at the next meeting of foreign ministers.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
