President Trump today (13 March) took to social media to warn the EU he would impose a 200% tariff on the bloc’s alcohol imports to the US.
Trump’s threat followed the EU’s announcement of plans to hit US products with its own tariffs, a move sparked by Washington’s decision to tax steel and aluminium shipments.
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Brussels’ tariffs, due to be introduced next month, cover a range of products but, in a post on Truth Social, Trump highlighted the EU’s “nasty” levy on US whiskey.
“The European Union, one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States, has just put a nasty 50% Tariff on Whisky,” Trump’s post read.
“If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the US will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER EU REPRESENTED COUNTRIES. This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the US.”
Just Drinks has approached European wine sector association CEEV for comment.
The EU’s planned tariffs on US products include beer, wine, gin, whiskey, rum, Tequila and non-alcoholic drinks derived from milk.
Brussels plans to introduce the tariffs in two steps, starting on 1 April and then have them fully in place from 13 April.
In a statement issued yesterday after Brussels’ announcement, CEEV secretary general Ignacio Sánchez Recarte said Europe’s wine industry “strongly opposes the inclusion of US wines on the EU list of targeted products”.
He added: “We are dismayed, that once again, wine, alongside other agri-food products, would be held hostage of an unrelated trade dispute.”
According to data provided by CEEV, EU wine exports were worth €16.71bn ($18.15bn) in the bloc’s 2023-24 campaign year. The US accounted for 27%, or €4.53bn, of sales, with the UK the second-largest market at 20%.
Last week, Italy’s wine trade association said the impact of US tariffs could wipe almost €1bn ($1.07bn) from the value of the country’s wine exports.
Italy, the second-largest wine producer in the EU, would see the value of its exports to the US reduced by around €472m, the Unione Italiana Vini (UIV) said, based on a 25% cut to the value of its shipments to the country last year.
The industry association said Italy’s winemakers would also feel the impact of “economic slowdowns” in other markets affected by US tariffs, pointing to Germany.
