On 20 November, a few days before the start of the new European Commission, spiritsEUROPE launched its “Objective 2030” report, a detailed roadmap for an EU open trade policy to support competitiveness, resilience and growth for the coming years.
Trade and exports have been at the heart of Europe’s spirits 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. Our success stems from a balance between preserving long-standing traditions and unmatched quality passed down through generations, and embracing innovation to adapt to evolving consumer trends.
However, this success should not be taken for granted. EU spirits 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. In practice, we call 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. Finally, the EU must expand market access opportunities and support diversification by concluding ambitious trade agreements with key growth regions, backed by economic diplomacy and promotional activities.
This will provide the EU spirits sector – and more generally, all EU exporters - 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 the cohesion and flourishing of rural communities.
This vision for open trade echoes a call from 43 European business associations in October for a bold & open trade policy to keep Europe competitive, prosperous & resilient. The joint declaration released by these organisations, including spiritsEUROPE, can be found here.
