Overview

• Tánaiste Simon Harris met U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington, D.C., to review progress under the EU‑US trade framework.
• They discussed expanding the list of goods exempt from the 15% baseline tariff, with Ireland emphasizing carve-outs for spirits and med‑tech.
• Harris raised concerns about non‑tariff barriers and Section 232 reviews now examining pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.
• The talks addressed how expanded steel and aluminium measures have affected Irish manufacturers, particularly in agri‑tech.
• Harris flagged proposed increases to H‑1B application fees and launched an economic impact report on Irish investment across all 50 U.S. states, and no agreements were announced.