Lifting Tariffs Will Ease Economic Burden & Help Reset Trans-Atlantic Trading Relationship WASHINGTON – Seventy-two U.S. and European associations representing a wide range of industries sent a letter today to President Joseph R. Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging the immediate suspension of tariffs on sectors unrelated to...
Advocacy
U.S., EU and UK Beverage Alcohol Associations Call for Immediate Suspension of Tariffs on Spirits and Wine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A coalition of 21 trade associations representing U.S., European Union, and United Kingdom wine, distilled spirits and related sectors today expressed disappointment in new U.S. tariffs going into effect today on certain Cognac, other grape brandies and non-sparkling wine from France and Germany. “We are extremely...
American Craft Spirits Association Toasts to Long-Term Federal Excise Tax Reform

Nearly a Decade in the Making, Craft Distillers Earn Permanent Tax Parity December 27, 2020 (Washington, D.C.) – Following approvals in the U.S. House and Senate, tonight the President signed the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA) as part of an omnibus and stimulus package, giving the country’s...
CEOs of Major Beverage Alcohol Associations Send Letter to Congress Urging Immediate Passage of Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act

– Struggling Craft Producers Face Significant Tax Hike if Congress Fails to Act by Year-End – WASHINGTON – Chief executive officers from eight major beverage alcohol associations sent a letter to Congressional leaders today urging immediate passage of the bipartisan Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act, S. 362/H.R. 1175 (CBMTRA)...
A STATEMENT FROM ACSA CEO MARGIE A.S. LEHRMAN & PRESIDENT BECKY HARRIS ON FEDERAL EXCISE TAX (FET) RELIEF

Washington, D.C. (December 1, 2020) — The American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) applauds Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), who sent an urgent letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Charles Schumer today urging the passage of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA,...
Continued FET Reform Needed to Prevent Massive Job Loss in Craft Distilleries Through the U.S.

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U.S. EU Tariffs on Beverage Alcohol
October 7th, 2020 The Honorable Robert E. Lighthizer United States Trade Representative Executive Office of the President 600 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20508 Valdis Dombrovskis Executive Vice-President European Commission Brussels, Belgium Dear Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis and Mr. Ambassador: The undersigned 18 U.S. and EU associations representing retailers, restaurants,...
End Spirits, Wine and Beer Tariffs

For Immediate Release: July 27, 2020 End Spirits, Wine and Beer Tariffs: Industry Calls for U.S. and EU to End Trade Dispute Urgently to Save Jobs WASHINGTON – In a show of transatlantic unity, 17 associations representing the U.S. and European beverage alcohol sectors submitted comments today to the United States...
Craft Beverage Coalition COVID-19 Economic Relief Letter

July 21, 2020 The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader, U.S. Senate 311 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Chuck Schumer Democratic Leader, U.S. Senate 322 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the HouseH-232 U.S. Capitol Washington, DC 20515 The...
U.S. Treasury Response to Rep. Blumenauer
June 29, 2020 The Honorable Earl BlumenauerU.S. House of RepresentativesWashington, SC 20515 Dear Representative Blumenauer: I write in reply to your May 18, 2020 letter urging the Treasury Department of defer excise taxes deadlines on domestic beer, wine, and distilled spirits for the remainder of the calendar year. As...
Treasury’s Response to Request for Deferment of Excise Tax
The Honorable Steven T. Mnuchin Secretary of the TreasuryUnited States Department of the Treasury 1500 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20220 Dear Secretary Mnuchin, May 18, 2020 Thank you for the Treasury Department’s March announcement to delay the federal excise tax filing and payment due dates for beverage alcohol for 90...
Direct to Consumer Delivery of Spirits as a Smart Response for Economic Recovery in the Craft Spirits Sector
COVID-19 IMPACT on CRAFT SPIRITS INDUSTRY The outbreak of COVID-19 has harmed the health of Americans, fractured the nation’s economy and exposed weaknesses in our critical supply chains. In this time of national crisis, craft spirits producers have been producing and providing critically needed alcohol-based sanitizers using local and...
April 27, 2020
Dear Chairwoman Lowey, Chairman Shelby, Ranking Member Granger and Vice Chairman Leahy:
We are writing to urge Congress to fully fund the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) within the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill at $145 million. This requested level of funding includes the Administration’s requested funding level for FY2021 and adds additional advanced funding of formula and Certificates of Label Applications (COLA) processing and approvals, which is necessary to provide the beverage alcohol industry continuity of business operations in this current time period of incredible growth. The funding level also maintains the strict enforcement of trade practices as required by law.
As you know, the COVID-19 crisis has significantly affected businesses across the United States and the beverage alcohol industry is no exception. We are deeply appreciative of TTB’s efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the industry by postponing due dates for federal excise tax (FET) payments on domestic products and several other filings, as well as for providing critical, timely guidance during the crisis.