WTO or WTF? 100% Tariffs On All EU Wines Threatened

If you haven’t heard, trade wars are easy to win - or so says our current administration. While the news highlights auto part tariffs on Canada and Mexico or the tit for tat dispute between the US and China, lost in the headlines is a recently imposed 25% tariff on all still wines under 14% alcohol from Spain, France and Germany. We’ve already been hit by this tariff, which is a result of a case in the now hobbled World Trade Organization (WTO) between airplane manufacturers Airbus and Boeing. What imported wine has to do with two giant manufactures of airplanes is anyone’s guess. Now, the conflict is escalating and our current administration is threatening 100% TARIFFS ON ALL EUROPEAN UNION (EU) wines imported into the USA. It goes without saying that this would be devastating for us and our colleagues throughout the wine business.

Unlike the previous 25% tariff, the administration is offering a comment period on the current proposal. Please take a moment to contact your representatives and ask them to push back against this proposal.

Click Here to Email Your U.S. House Representative

Click Here to Email Your U.S. Senators

You can also also submit your own comment by going to regulations.gov and entering docket number USTR-2019-0003. Our letter to the US Trade Organization is here.

As an aside, the current administration is abusing its power to tariff without authorization by congress by claiming that we’re in a national emergency. That’s right, wine and cheese are national security issue.

Thank you for taking action and supporting America’s wine importers, distributors, restaurants and retailers.