The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and other entities issued a statement calling for an end to tariffs on U.S. distilled spirits.

Tariffs are set to be reimposed starting in the beginning of 2024.

Here is the full statement by the Distilled Spirits Council and its list of signatories:

“With less than a month before the reimposition of tariffs in the U.S.-EU steel and aluminum dispute on 1 January 2024, 90 sectors unrelated to the EU-U.S. steel and aluminum and the large aircraft disputes urge U.S. and EU leaders to reach an agreement to permanently remove all retaliatory tariffs on products unrelated to these disputes. The prospect of the return and increase of retaliatory tariffs in the steel and aluminum dispute, barely a month away, is causing unbearable uncertainty and instability for unrelated sectors.

Between 2018 and 2021, our industries and supply chains were severely impacted by the imposition of tariffs in disputes wholly unrelated to our sectors. We applauded the crucial agreements EU and U.S. leaders reached to suspend tariffs in 2021. These agreements provided important relief for our sectors, supported economic recovery after the difficult COVID period, and removed barriers to trade.

We hoped that a resolution of the steel and aluminum dispute would have been reached at the EU-U.S. Presidential Summit on 20 October. We now face the prospect of the reimposition of duties on our products, ingredients, and raw materials in the steel and aluminum dispute to the amount of more than €1.3 billion ($1.43 billion)1 as of 1 January 2024. In the large civil aircraft dispute, tariffs would return in June 2026 without an agreement.

Therefore, we urge U.S. and EU leaders to prioritize securing the permanent removal of these debilitating tariffs on sectors unrelated to the steel and aluminum and large civil aircraft disputes. This would allow our members to strengthen the transatlantic trading relationship, which is critical to our industries, and to tackle pressing common challenges together in a spirit of unity.

If the permanent removal of tariffs on sectors unrelated to the disputes is not possible at this time, a further suspension of duties in the steel and aluminum dispute is necessary and should be announced without delay. The suspension should be long enough to provide affected sectors with long-term predictability.

1 Calculation based on Eurostat data. It represents the duties that would have been paid in 2022 pursuant to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/886 on certain commercial policy measures concerning certain products originating in the United States of America and amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/724.”

List of signatories:

American Apparel & Footwear Association

American Beverage Licensees

American Craft Spirits Association

American Cranberry Growers Association

American Distilled Spirits Alliance

American Distilling Institute

American Single Malt Commission

Arizona Craft Distillers Guild

Associated Equipment Distributors

Association des Constructeurs Européens de Motocycles (ACEM)

Association of Chocolate, Biscuit and Confectionery Industries of Europe (CAOBISCO)

Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association

California Artisanal Distillers Guild

Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association

Colorado Distillers Guild

Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV)

Committee for European Construction Equipment

Connecticut Spirits Trail

Corn Refiners Association

Cranberry Institute

Distilled Spirits Council of the United States

Distillers Association of North Carolina

EU Grouping of manufacturers and distributors of Semi-Luxury Lighters

EuroCommerce

European Agricultural Machinery Industry Association (CEMA)

European Apparel and Textile Confederation (EURATEX)

European Association of Cereals, Rice, Feedstuffs, Oilseeds, Olive oil, Oils and fats and Agrosupply trade (COCERAL)

European Association of Dairy Trade (EUCOLAIT)

European Association of Fruit and Vegetable Processors (PROFEL)

European Association of Manufacturing Technologies (CECIMO)

European Boating Industry (EBI)

European Dairy Association

European Federation for Print and Digital Communication (INTERGRAF)

European Federation of the Trade in Dried Fruit, Edible Nuts, Processed Fruit & Vegetables and Processed Fishery Products (FRUCOM)

European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC)

European Gaming & Amusement Federation

European Power Tool Association

European Snacks Association

Farmers for Free Trade

Federation of the European Cookware, Cutlery and Houseware Industries

Florida Craft Spirits Association

French Federation of Wines and Spirits Exporters

Home Appliance Europe (APPLiA)

Idaho Distillers Association

Illinois Craft Distillers Association

Independent Restaurant Coalition

Iowa Distillers Alliance

Kentucky Distillers’ Association

Louisiana Distillers Guild

Maryland Distillers Guild

Maryland Wineries Association

Michigan Craft Distillers Association

Midwest Food Processors Association

Montana Distillers Guild

Napa Valley Vintners

National Association of Beverage Importers

National Association of Wine Retailers

National Confectioners Association

National Council of Chain Restaurants

National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)

National Restaurant Association

National Retail Federation

New Hampshire Distillers Guild

New Jersey Craft Distillers Guild

New York State Distillers Guild

North American Shippers Association

NY Wine Industry Association

Ohio Distillers Guild

Oregon Distillers Guild

Oregon Wine Council

Pennsylvania Distillers Guild

South Carolina Distillers Guild

spiritsEUROPE

Tennessee Distillers Guild

Texas Distilled Spirits Association

U.S. Dry Bean Council

U.S. Lighter Association

U.S. Wine Trade Alliance

United States Bartenders’ Guild

United States Motorcycle Manufacturers Association

USA Rice

Vinyl Institute

Virginia Distillers Association

Washington Wine Institute

Willamette Valley Wineries Association

Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America

Wine and Spirits Shippers Association

Wine Institute

WineAmerica

Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association