On 9 April 2025, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment hosted a Market Access Day in Dublin, in conjunction with the European Commission and DG Trade.
The Market Access Day featured journalist and broadcaster Sarah Carey as event MC and a keynote speech by the EU’s Chief Trade Enforcement Officer, Denis Rodennet, who focused on the implementation and enforcement of EU trade policy and the benefits to Irish businesses.
EU Chief Trade Enforcement Officer, Denis Redonnet, delivering a keynote address at Market Access Day.
This event occurred at an interesting time, set against a backdrop of a constantly evolving international trading landscape and proved to be a timely reminder of the tools and supports available to businesses to navigate the various barriers that might exist for exporters operating in third country markets, such as the Access2Markets portal and Single-Entry Point.
Access2Markets provides exporters with the information they need when trading with third countries including on tariffs, taxes, procedures, formalities and requirements, rules of origin, export measures, statistics, trade barriers and more. It also provides key information required for trade in services along with investment and procurement in third countries. There is extensive information available on EU trade agreements, how to benefit from them along with illustrative examples of companies using them successfully.
At Market Access Day - Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Declan Hughes, EU Chief Trade Enforcement Officer, Denis Redonnet and Ronnie Downes, Assistant Secretary, Trade Development and Regulation Division, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
A series of presentations from DG Trade, Enterprise Ireland and InterTradeIreland focused on the tools and supports available for exporters. Enterprise Ireland focused on their ‘Get Exporting’ programme and InterTradeIreland focused on the supports available for trade, ‘Trade Hub’ and their ‘Trade Export Pathway’. There was also a company presentation from an Enterprise Ireland client company on their experience in navigating trade and non-trade barriers.
Following each of these presentations, a series of Q&A sessions provided attendees with greater clarity on the questions they had on their day-to-day real-world experience. Peter Berz, Director, DG Trade delivered a presentation on EU trade policy which led into a panel discussion on ‘Europe’s trade policy in the changing geopolitics’.
This panel discussion was moderated by Sarah Carey and included Daniel Sonneveldt, Senior Market Adviser Europe, Enterprise Ireland, Pat Ivory PhD, Director of EU and International Affairs, Ibec, Ronnie Downes, Assistant Secretary, Trade Division, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Peter Berz, Head of Unit, DG Trade, European Commission.
The event was closed by Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Declan Hughes.