The US government on Monday (11 January) said it would begin collecting new duties on aircraft parts and other products from France and Germany from Tuesday after failing to resolve a 16-year dispute over aircraft subsidies with the European Union.
January 12, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A coalition of 21 trade associations representing U.S., European Union, and United Kingdom wine, distilled spirits and related sectors today expressed disappointment in new U.S. tariffs going into effect today on certain Cognac, other grape brandies and non-sparkling wine from France and Germany.
“We are extremely disappointed with the imposition of additional excessive tariffs on certain Cognacs, other brandies and wines from France and Germany. These tariffs will just compound the harm caused by existing tariffs. The added pressure resulting from these tariffs will force more businesses to close their doors and more workers to be laid off in sectors already negatively impacted by the global pandemic,” said the coalition.
Dive Brief:
Starting in October 2019, wines that were 14% alcohol or less were hit with a 25% tariff. Those above 14% were exempt. Starting Jan. 12, that tariff will be applied to those above 14% as well. Premium cognacs costing $38 or more a litter will also get slapped with the new import duties, the USTR said.
The new tariffs, which come in the waning days of the Trump administration, have been widely criticized by organizations including the Distilled Spirits Council
and the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance. They urged the incoming Biden administration to act quickly upon taking office. We need to convince President-elect Biden that tariff relief should be a major priority of his first few weeks in office, and this is no small task, Ben Aneff, president of the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance, said in a statement.
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The presidential inauguration is two weeks away, but the pain is not going away anytime soon for many European winemakers and the American businesses that sell their wines. As a parting gift to them, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced additional tariffs on New Year s Eve, part of the ongoing fight with the European Union over
US Slaps New Tariffs On Aircraft Parts, European Wines As Spat Over Planemaker Subsidies Worsens zerohedge.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from zerohedge.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.