Foto: “Cognac” von Marco Verch via ccnull.de, CC-BY 2.0
Washington is threatening to tax European, and therefore French, wines and spirits by up to 200% in retaliation for Brussels’ measures.
An arm wrestling match with colossal stakes
The trade war between the United States and the European Union is taking on a new dimension. On Thursday March 13, US President Donald Trump issued an explicit threat: to impose tariffs of up to 200% on European champagne, wine and spirits if the EU does not immediately withdraw its 50% tax on American whisky. This announcement is particularly aimed at France, the leading exporter of these products to the United States.
In a message posted on Truth Social, Donald Trump denounced a “hostile and abusive” European Union, accusing Brussels of seeking to exploit the United States through aggressive tax and tariff policies. This latest episode is part of an escalation initiated by the United States, which had previously imposed 25% taxes on European steel and aluminum.
The EU prepares to retaliate
In the face of Washington’s threats, Brussels is sticking to its guns. On Wednesday, the European Commission announced its intention to increase tariffs on a number of American products in response to taxes imposed by the United States. French Foreign Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin firmly defended this stance: “We will not give in to threats and will always protect our industries.”
France exports $3.8 billion to the USA
Tensions between the two blocs could have far-reaching economic consequences. The American market is the leading international outlet for European wines and spirits, with French exports reaching 3.8 billion euros in 2024. This represents an increase of 5% on the previous year, despite the difficulties encountered on the Asian market, notably due to the anti-dumping measures imposed by China on European brandies.
As the trade crisis intensifies, European and American producers are concerned about an escalation that could damage flourishing trade and the balance of transatlantic trade. It remains to be seen whether a diplomatic solution can be found before the surtaxes cause lasting upheaval in the sector.
ALERTE INFO | Donald Trump menace de TAXER DE 200% le champagne et les vins français et de l’UE, après que l’UE a annoncé des droits de douane renforcés sur des produits américains importés. (Le Parisien) pic.twitter.com/UT7lokUBNC
— Cerfia (@CerfiaFR) March 13, 2025
L’article Tariffs: war declared between Europe and the United States est apparu en premier sur FrenchDailyNews.
