EU and US Wine Sectors Renew their Call for Negotiated Solution to Aviation Dispute

CEEV and Wine Institute Urge De-escalation of Trade Tensions and the Immediate Suspension of all Retaliatory Tariffs on Wine

WASHINGTON, DC AND BRUSSELS – Following the European Commission’s publication of the list of U.S. products subject to retaliatory tariffs as a result of the WTO decision on Boeing Aircraft subsidies, the European and U.S. wine associations renew their call for EU and U.S. authorities to de-escalate the dispute and to immediately suspend the additional tariffs imposed on EU wines since October 2019 while they work towards a solution. The EU list released today does not include U.S. wine.

“The glass is half empty,” said Jean-Marie Barillère, President of CEEV. “While the EU has, fortunately, decided to spare U.S. wines from punitive tariffs, EU wines have been hit by additional tariffs for months, causing irreparable damage to wine companies and the whole supply chain. We continue our call for the EU and U.S. authorities to preserve and strengthen the bilateral wine partnership by eliminating all retaliatory tariffs imposed on EU wines, and refraining from targeting wine in unrelated trade disputes.”

Both the U.S. and the EU are each other’s largest export markets, with total trade reaching $5.36 (€4.53) billion in 2019, creating jobs and investment on both sides of the Atlantic.

“Wine is a truly unique agricultural product and for many years we have steadfastly urged all governments to refrain from targeting wine in disputes involving other sectors. We recognize the important step taken here towards this goal and urge both sides to support the strength of the transatlantic wine trade by adhering to the‘ wine for wine’ principle,” said Bobby Koch, President and CEO of Wine Institute.

ABOUT US:

• Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (www.ceev.eu) was founded in 1960 and represents the European Union wine companies in the industry and trade (still wines, aromatised wines, sparkling wines, liqueur wines and other vine products). It brings together 23 national organisations from 12 EU Member States, plus Switzerland and Ukraine, as well as a consortium of 4 leading European wine companies. The companies represented by CEEV, mainly small and medium sized companies, produce and market most quality European wines, both with and without a geographical indication, and account for over 90% of European wine exports.

• Wine Institute (www.wineinstitute.org) is the premier organization representing California wineries in the U.S. and around the world. With more than 1,000 winery and affiliated business members, Wine Institutes initiates and advocates public policy that enhances the ability to responsibly produce and export wine. California is the fourth largest wine producing region in the world and produces more than 80 percent of total U.S. wine production and 95 percent of U.S. wine exports.