Overview

• The 15% tariff on EU imports, including wine and spirits, took effect August 6 without industry exemptions.
• A coalition of 57 associations led by Toasts Not Tariffs—including Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Beam Suntory and Brown-Forman—sent a letter urging Trump to carve out alcohol goods.
• The letter warned that the levy could slash nearly $2 billion in US alcohol sales and jeopardize some 25,000 jobs in production, hospitality and retail.
• Coalition signatories cautioned that higher duties will drive up prices at restaurants and bars during the peak holiday season.
• The EU has paused retaliatory measures for six months, but US-EU trade talks remain deadlocked on alcohol exemptions.