Trump threatens 200% of EU alcohol tariff

US President Donald Trump threatened 200% of Tariffs on any alcohol that comes to the US from the European Union (EU) in the last turn of escalated trade war.

The threat is the response to EU plans for 50% of whiskey import taxes produced in the US as part of his retaliation Trump’s Tariffs to all the imports of steel and aluminum to the US.

The US president has called for the current removal of the “nasty” EU tariffs to the American whiskey, calling the “hostile and violent” block and “formed for the sole purpose of exploiting the United States.”

The European Commission spokesman said that “calls” between the US -A EU is being prepared to discuss the situation.

He confirmed that his trade commissioner, Maros Sefconic, “reached for his American colleagues” after Trump’s last threat.

Standing marked another trade warning that is Financial markets followed And caused concern about the impact on economics and consumers in many countries around the world, including the US.

Europe sends more than 4.5 billion euros (4.89 billion dollars; $ 3.78 billion) wine in the US, which is its largest export market, according to Comité European des Entreprises Vins, which represents the European wine industry.

Ignacio Sánchez Rekarta, Secretary General of the Group, said Trump will spend his threats, it will destroy the market, costing thousands of jobs.

“There is no alternative to sell all this wine,” he said, praying on two sides to “keep wine outside this fight.”

The last conflict came after new US tariffs and Aluminum came on Wednesday, hitting a metal -covered metal importing with 25% and ending the exemption from the duties that have previously assigned to shipments from some countries, including from the EU and Canada.

Canada and Europe – which among the largest American trade partners – they called new taxes unjustified and returned their own tariffs to a number of American products. EU measures should enter into force on April 1.

AND Clash reprinted the battle that took place during Trump’s first term, when he first announced the tariffs on steel and aluminum.

The EU responded with its own tariffs, including 25% of US whiskey taxes.

After that, the sale of whiskey in the EU fell 20%, fell with approximately $ 552 million in 2018 to $ 440 million in 2021, according to the US Council for Distilled Ghosts. Trump in return

The tariffs were abolished after Trump left his duty after the two sides reached an agreement that excluded a certain amount of European metal from office.

But Trump has so far indicated some appetite at the agreement, at least when it comes to steel and aluminum.

“If this tariff is not removed immediately, now they will soon place a 200% tariff on all wines, champagne and alcoholic products coming from France and other EU countries,” he wrote on social networks, using all the main letters for one of the messages.

Targeted wine and whiskey is symbolic – there are few wide -consumed goods more iconic than the French Bordeaux or Tennessee whiskey. From the point of view of values, drinking stores are worth fewer than some other items facing tariffs.

But Mary Taylor, an importer of European wines based in the United States, said that the measures would be catastrophic for its business and industry, with an influence that would retreat to restaurants, bars and distributors across the US.

“It just looks like a big, giant threat to our life means,” she said.

Ms. Taylor, who brings 2 million bottles annually, kicked out 25% of Tariff Trump put certain EU bottles during her first term, expanding her distribution in Europe, but she said: “200% is a completely different game game.”

The shares in the USA fell on Thursday.

The S&P 500 fell almost 1.4%, lowering it about 10% of its latest top – a turning point known as a correction. Dow fell 1.3%, while Nasdaq fell almost 2%.

In Europe, the London FTSE 100 was straight, while the German Dax ended about 0.5% lower.

In Paris, the CAC 40 fell 0.6%because the shares of the main producers of the spirit were affected, with Pernod Ricard decreased by 4%and the cognac producer from Hennessy LVMH dropped 1.1%.

In interviews with US business media on Thursday, the White House officials blamed the EU for dispute escalation.

“Why do Europeans choose Kentucky Bourbon or Harley-Davidson’s motorcycles? It’s a disrespect,” the Store Howard Lutnick Store for Bloomberg Television told, describing returning and back as “out of topic.”

Scott scratch secretary warned that a trade war is likely to inflict greater economic pain in the EU than in the United States, rejecting concerns that the conflict could spirate.

“One or two items, with one trading block – I’m not sure why it’s a big deal for markets,” he said.

In an interview with a hard BBC, the President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde, said the EU has no “choice” than to take revenge.

“Everyone is positioned right now,” she said, adding that she expects two sides to sit and negotiate.

“Everyone will suffer” if the dispute should develop into a full Puhani trade war, she warned.

So far, Trump has shown a small tolerance towards retaliation of the countries because of the martyr he introduced.

Earlier this week, Canada ran through a threat of 50% of steel and aluminum tariffs after the Canadian province of Ontario answered new tariffs with an extra charge of electricity exports to the United States.

He abolished this threat after Ontario agreed to suspend the charges.

Former Trump advisor Stephen Moore, who is now the economist of the Heritage Foundation, said that he thought the EU would have to make a concession to alleviate the situation, noting that Trump was consistently expressing concern about the rules of agricultural products.

“This absolutely will end up with an agreement,” he said. “This is only a question if it ends up in a day, week, a month or six months, but in the end a settlement will happen with an agreement.”

The complete hardtalk will be available from March 14th at BBC News Channel, IPlayer, The World Service and as Podcast.