International Public POLICY

Wine Institute works in key markets around the world to eliminate trade barriers and grow U.S. wine exports. U.S. wineries face numerous obstacles in the form of tariff and non-tariff barriers that impede export growth and threaten existing markets, all while competing against heavily subsidized foreign producers who benefit from direct government funding and discriminatory trade policies. We work closely with the U.S. Congress, U.S. Trade Representative, Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture including the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), and the Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to achieve these objectives.

Our international priorities include the removal of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. wine exports to China, a new trade agreement with Japan to eliminate wine tariffs, and the passage of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement. We commit significant resources responding to new technical trade barriers in priority markets, harmonizing wine regulations, and streamlining export certification requirements. We also work to ensure the protection of intellectual property rights, including legitimate terms of geographic significance and common food names.