Brussels, 20 November 2024 – Today, spiritsEUROPE launched its “Objective 2030”, a detailed roadmap for an EU open trade policy to support competitiveness, resilience and growth for the coming years.
President Ian McLernon said:
“Trade and exports have been at the heart of our sector for centuries. Often seen as iconic products and symbols of European culture, EU spirits remain a powerhouse for EU exports, supporting countless jobs in rural communities. However, this success should not be taken for granted. We face significant challenges, from the global economic slowdown impacting consumer purchasing power to growing geopolitical tensions and the increasing weaponisation of trade. To overcome these challenges, we need an open trade policy that fosters competitiveness, resilience, and growth.”
The success of the European spirits sector lies in its ability to balance long-standing traditions and quality passed down through generations with innovation to meet evolving consumer preferences. As a high-value, export-driven sector, the spirit drinks producers showcase how external trade can strengthen EU agri-food production, benefiting both the farmers who supply key ingredients and the rural communities where most production takes place.
The “Objective 2030” roadmap published by spiritsEUROPE at its SUMMIT 2024 calls on the EU to prioritise three key areas. First, the EU must foster a stable and open trade environment for EU spirits by protecting them from unrelated trade disputes, prioritising multilateral solutions, and strengthening public-private cooperation. Second, the EU should deepen regulatory cooperation with third countries to remove and prevent trade barriers. Thirdly, the EU must expand market access and support diversification by concluding ambitious trade agreements with key growth regions, backed by economic diplomacy and promotional activities.
“Delivering significant results on these 3 calls for action will provide us with more options, greater resilience, and the ability to continue innovating and investing in sustainable practices. This is our vision for an open trade policy agenda that promotes competitiveness, security, and sustainability—one that allows us to keep contributing to the EU agri-food success story, the EU’s trade balance, and rural communities”, concluded Pauline Bastidon, External Trade Director at spiritsEUROPE.
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