Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he is concerned about protectionist trade ideas gaining traction in Europe.
Yesterday the French President, Emmanuel Macron, set out a vision to give “European preference” to some key sectors including steel, pharmaceuticals and electronics.
Macron insisted his idea was not protectionism, but about making the “Made in Europe” brand more attractive.
But speaking this morning at a summit of EU leaders outside a rainy castle in the Belgian countryside, Micheál Martin said Europe should remain a beacon for free trade.
“We would have concerns around the European preference”, he said.
“We understand the issue in terms of the need for industrial resilience within Europe. But at the same time, we’re concluding trade deals all over the world [including recently] with India and it’s somewhat counter to that to say then have to have a more protectionist approach within Europe.”
Instead the Taoiseach has urged for a more competitive Europe to be achieved by making the single market work better.
Ireland is an open trading economy, he said, that had benefited from deep integration within the European Union.
“Certainly we need more self-reliance in core areas – you do need to reduce risk and in terms of over dependencies – but we must protect the open free trade ethos of the European Union in my view”, the Micheál Martin added.
European leaders are deeply concerned that the EU is not keeping pace with economies in other parts of the world, particularly the US and China.
The castle at Alden Biesen, a small village between Maastricht and Liege, was chosen for the leaders’ away day because it is exactly not in the bustle of Brussels.
The EU27 hope to strategise about Europe’s future economic direction.
Although no concrete decisions are expected to be made today, EU leaders hope it will be a basis they can build on at future summits.