DUBLIN, Ireland / SAN FRANCISCO, California - Ireland, and California are to solidify ties following a virtual roundtable on trade and investment, attended by over 100 Irish and Californian businesses.

The event on Thursday was organized by the Consulate of Ireland in San Francisco, Enterprise Ireland, and the Californian governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).

Ireland's Minister for Trade Promotion, Digital, and Company Regulation Robert Troy joined the Lieutenant Governor for California, Ms. Eleni Kounalakis, to launch the American Chambers of Commerce (Amcham) Stateside guide focused on Irish companies seeking to scale their operations in California.

Topics discussed at Thursday's roundtable included deepening cooperation between California and Ireland and how the role of foreign investment more broadly can contribute to the COVID-19 economic recovery, and the use of international trade as a tool for mutual inclusive and sustainable growth.

"With the inauguration of President-Elect Biden due to take place on 20 January next and the recent publication of the paper by the European Commission on the future EU-US agenda, this was an opportune time to make these transatlantic connections with our largest trade and investment partner in the U.S., California," Troy said Thursday. "We strongly support enhanced transatlantic cooperation on issues of mutual interest including climate, the digital agenda, research, trade, investment, and in combatting unfair commercial practices by third countries. As Minister for Trade Promotion, this was an ideal opportunity to reinforce the strong economic relationship between Ireland and California."

"The ties between Ireland and California already run deep, not least in respect to trade. Our Agencies are deeply embedded in the whole business and investment environment in California. Enterprise Ireland's investment in supporting Irish companies to access market opportunities across California has significantly increased over recent years. There are now more than 300 Irish companies doing business in California, and, on average, an Irish company establishes a presence in California every 3-4 weeks. In fact, indigenous Irish headquartered companies provide approximately 10,000 jobs in California across 203 locations in the State, and, conversely, California headquartered companies provide approximately 40,000 jobs in Ireland. Today's event highlighted the significant economic relationship that Ireland already has with California and also the enormous potential to develop this relationship further across trade, investment, and research," the Irish trade minister said.

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