Just days ago the U.S. reached new trade agreements with Canada and Mexico that were expected to ratchet down tariff tensions. But now, new proposals to impose tariffs on wine and spirits from the E.U.—and last night’s announcement that the U.S. will impose levies on all products from Mexico—have roiled the industry again.
On April 8, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced a preliminary list of E.U. products that could be targeted with tariffs moving forward, including brandy, liqueurs, cordials, wine, and non-alcoholic beer. Following the USTR’s draft list, the E.U. responded in kind, threatening tariffs on American wine, rum, vodka, and brandy (American whiskies are already under a 25% tariff in the E.U. as of last year). Then, last evening, the U.S. administration announced that it will impose a 5% tariff on all goods from Mexico on June 10, with the rate rising to up to 25% within the next few months, in an attempt to apply pressure to the Mexican government to stop migration across the southern border.
