Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has written to both the British and Irish governments to express grave concern regarding the potential impact of new US trade tariffs.

The move follows an announcement over the weekend by US President Donald Trump, who threatened to use significant tariffs as leverage against European nations in a dispute involving Greenland.

In her correspondence to the British Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Peter Kyle, and the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, Dr Archibald stressed the need for a unified response. She highlighted that any divergence between a British response and a European Union response could have severe repercussions for Northern Ireland's economy. Minister Archibald stated: "Notwithstanding their respective trade and tariff agreements with the US, I am acutely aware that both the British Government and the EU Commission will be considering how they respond to President Trump's latest tariff threat including, potentially, retaliatory measures. I expect these discussions will move at pace in the coming days. I have asked the Irish and British governments to ensure consideration of the north's unique circumstances, where the potential for divergence between any British response compared to that of the EU, could have serious consequences for the economy in the north."

In response to the escalating trade tensions, the Minister has convened an emergency meeting of her Tariffs Working Group for next week. This group, which was established last year to navigate similar trade challenges, serves as a vital link between the government and key business stakeholders across the region.

The Minister's intervention follows the US President's social media announcement that a 10% tariff would be imposed on several European allies—including the UK and Ireland—starting in February, potentially rising to 25% by June, unless a deal is reached regarding the purchase of Greenland.

Dr Archibald has called for both London and Dublin to maintain a "tightly coordinated approach" to ensure that global tariff issues do not undermine regional economic stability.