Making a splash on the other side of the Atlantic

Carol Lynch, Tax Partner and Head of Customs and International Trade Services featured in the Irish Times American Thanksgiving Special Report.

The US is one of the biggest markets and Irish companies have made significant headway in sales, with both the EU and US often level pegging in terms of export sales.

Customs and International Trade Services

In 2024 for example sales into the US were over €72 bn, a 34% increase on 2023. Sales into Europe were a little over €88bn, a 9% increase on 2023. When we look at sales to date for 2025, (up to August 2025) sales to the US had already grown to a little over €84bn. While this can be taken to be related to stock piling in advance of US tariffs we can still see the significant value of our export market to the US.

Carol LynchTax Partner & Head of Customs and International Trade Services


While the biggest proportion by far of these exports are in the Pharmaceutical and Chemical area, Irish Exporters also have large sales in food products, beverages, and machinery along with other manufactured items. This sector is hit hardest by the new US Tariffs with a typical average 15% tariff being applied and potentially a 50% tariff on the steel and aluminium content. We are seeing Irish Exporters pro-actively focus on the impact of these rates and engage in duty planning to look to reduce the negative impact and ensure their US sales continue to grow. The complexity of the tariffs, along with the ongoing changes, have meant it can be incredibly difficult for Irish Companies to apply the additional costs to their products, translate these into increased pricing for customers and/ or absorb same while looking to determine the long term impact. 

Irish Companies are also increasingly looking at establishing subsidiary operations in the US to allow for more pro-active inter-company pricing within the scope of Transfer Pricing and Customs Valuation rules. 

Carol LynchTax Partner & Head of Customs and International Trade Services

With the supply chain being increasingly complicated, and the impact of geo-politics on trade playing out in relation to export sales, Irish Companies are increasingly having to understand and develop a global strategy. The new Enterprise Ireland grants to support exporters in these complex analysis are to be welcomed in this regard.

Lynch explains, in BDO we have established a Global Trade and Strategic Advisory service to bring the various experts together in a hub to be able to advise companies from our Dublin Office. 

This includes experts in International Tax, Transfer Pricing, Financial planning and funding requirements, along with International Trade and Supply Chain  and Strategy. We find our clients find it easier to access these services through the one hub in Dublin rather then having to look to obtain advice in the US (along with other Export markets). 

Carol LynchTax Partner & Head of Customs and International Trade Services

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  Content adapted from The Irish Times American Thanksgiving Special Report.