The US government apparently wants to impose new customs duties on wine and other stimulants from the European Union. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) had already announced in December 2019 that it would carry out a review of imported goods this year. The current list of products on which customs duties are to be levied now includes 30 additional categories - including wine from all EU countries, sparkling wines, cask wines and whisky from Europe. The list also includes gin and jenever, beer and chocolate, olives and decaffeinated coffee.
The European Commission has clearly criticised the possible tightening of the rules. This would cause "unnecessary economic damage on both sides of the Atlantic", "especially for companies that now have to cope with the difficulties resulting from the Covid 19 crisis". The Commission is concerned that the possible tariffs are no longer compatible with the rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
As a counter-reaction, the EU has introduced tariffs of 25 percent on US whisky. Should the US government's tightening measures be introduced, this duty would rise to 50 percent. Since the beginning of the tariff dispute, the exports of American whisky producers have fallen by 33 percent.
The US justifies the high tariffs with EU subsidies to the aircraft manufacturer Airbus in competition with Boeing.
(uka)