Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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84. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation her views on the economic nationalism now being practised in the United States of America; and the actions being taken to counteract this policy. [26560/18]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In support of economic progress and good jobs for our people, Ireland has embraced free trade and is one of the world’s most open, export-based economies, which depends on open access to international markets for sustainable and continued economic growth.  This has been an approach shared by many like-minded countries and one which has enabled the EU reach a series of Free Trade Agreements with partners across the globe to the betterment of the living standards of our citizens.

I am, as is the Irish Government, and our EU partners, disappointed with the current direction of US trade policy, whereby the pursuit of bilateral negotiations has supplanted longstanding commitments to multilateralism which in turn is causing turbulence in the global markets and adding to uncertainty for industry.

The EU Commission, which leads on Trade Policy for the Member States under the Treaties, and working in full consultation with the Member States, has been preparing over the last few months a measured, proportionate, and WTO-compliant response to specific US actions, as well as maintaining dialogue on issues of legitimate concern to both the EU and US.  In this regard, the EU is pursuing a specific line of action in relation to the steel and aluminium tariffs imposed by the US.  EU Leaders have also endorsed a positive agenda for dialogue on trade issues with the US once the steel and aluminium tariffs are lifted insofar as the Union is concerned.  The EU and its Member States are also working with other like-minded countries - such as Japan, Canada and Mexico - to develop an agreed approach to issues of concern.  We continue, of course, to keep open the lines of communication with the US Administration and other key "influencers".

The US has sought to use the threat of tariffs as leverage to obtain trade concessions from the EU and the EU response signifies EU strength and unity by responding, appropriately and proportionately, in the face of such unilateral, non-WTO-compliant, actions.  At national level, we continue to monitor potential impacts of the trade measures being taken by the US, as well as those being contemplated.  We remain alive to the fact that while certain actions may have limited impact at a macro level, this could possibly mask individual firm level impacts.  To this end, my Department and its agencies are keeping the situation under review.  Indeed, I convened a meeting of my Enterprise Forum on Brexit and Global Challenges last week to discuss our strategy and hear, first hand, from a variety of representative bodies, their issues and concerns.