US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 200% duty on imports of European beverages in response to the EU's surcharges on US whiskey.
Trump's latest reaction is in response to the EU's plan to impose retaliatory tariffs on US goods worth €26 billion from next month.
spiritsEUROPE, the representative body for the spirit industry on a European level, said it was 'deeply alarmed' by the renewed threat of tariffs on EU and US spirits, and added that it is part of an entirely unrelated dispute over duties on steel and aluminium.
'This cycle of tit-for-tat retaliation must end now! We urge both sides to stop using our sector as a bargaining chip in conflicts that have nothing to do with us,' it noted.
A Step Backward
Reimposing tariffs would be a step backward—hurting businesses, workers, and consumers on both sides as spirits trade exemplifies how open markets create mutual benefits.
The EU and US must de-escalate this dispute now and ensure spirits are never again caught in the crossfire, spiritsEUROPE added.
Since 1997, the transatlantic spirits trade has been with brief but damaging episodes of disruption due to past unrelated disputes.
The association added that the spirits sector is united in its commitment to keeping trade tariff-free, as EU spirits companies have invested heavily in US production, including American Whiskey, while US spirits companies own distilleries across the EU.
It helps the sector produce regionally distinctive products tied to local heritage.
'We are each other’s top markets—interwoven by investment, tradition, and shared success,' it said.
