Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 January 2018
325. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she expects Ireland's trade with other countries to increase after Brexit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4635/18]
View answerWith a small domestic market, further expansion in other markets is essential to Ireland’s continued economic growth. Overall, export growth in Ireland in recent years has been exceptionally strong and exports continue to contribute positively to growth and employment.
Promoting diversified export markets in light of the potential impacts of Brexit is a key priority for my Department. Through the Government’s Trade Strategy, ‘Ireland Connected: Trading and Investing in a Dynamic World’, we aim by 2020 to increase indigenous exports by Enterprise Ireland supported companies, including food, to reach €26 billion, achieve 80% of indigenous export growth outside of the UK market and secure 900 new foreign direct investments.
As well as the global efforts supported by Enterprise Ireland, key to our success has been our commitment to trade liberalisation in order to open new markets for our indigenous sectors. The EU suite of Free Trade Agreements (FTA’s) with third countries help to open new markets, break down barriers and provide new opportunities for Irish firms. Brexit has reinforced the importance of accelerating the delivery of EU trade deals with leading economies and regional blocs.
One such trade deal is the EU–Canada Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) which entered into force provisionally from 21 September 2017. Irish companies may now take advantage of the all-important provisions of CETA including the elimination of tariffs on almost all key exports, access to the Canadian procurement market, transparent rules for market access and the removal of red tape and other barriers to trade and investment.
More recently, on the 8th December 2017, the EU and Japan announced the successful conclusion of the final discussions on the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The agri-food sector, in particular will see benefits from access to Japan’s highly valuable export market, with improved access for beef, pork, cheese and processed agricultural products. The EPA will remove the majority of tariffs and addresses many non-tariff measures including technical requirements and certification procedures that often make it difficult to export safe European products to the highly regulated Japanese market.
Moreover, the EU and Mexico hope to reach political agreement early this year on the modernisation of the EU-Mexico Global Agreement, to include provisions on regulatory cooperation, increased trade in agriculture and food, common sanitary standards and sustainable development. Ireland supports comparable trade conditions for investors and businesses across the Americas, making it easier for Irish businesses to trade in and enter these markets.
Currently, the EU is also negotiating an EU-Mercosur FTA which would be the EU’s largest trade deal to date, and is four times the size of the trade agreement with Japan. Irish exporters are currently subject to trade tariffs, barriers and restrictions, when exporting to Mercosur. The proposed FTA should make exports from Ireland more attractive and potentially increase demand for Irish products.
During his September 2017 State of the Union address, the President of the European Parliament, Jean-Claude Juncker, proposed opening trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand. The draft negotiating mandates for Australia and New Zealand are currently being discussed by the Commission and Member States.
Ireland will continue to support the EU’s ambitious programme of negotiating new FTA’s giving Irish firms expanded market access and a predictable trading environment in third countries. To this end, my Department has commissioned a major examination of the economic opportunities and impacts for Ireland arising from EU FTA’s which we hope will be available later this year.
