Among the mutual commitments, the August Joint Statement reaffirmed a shared ambition to expand the return to MFN tariffs for “other sectors and products that are important for their economies and value chains,” including spirits. Timely, concrete progress on this commitment is essential to restore balance and predictability in transatlantic trade, for EU and US producers, hospitality operators, and the wider network of businesses and workers that rely on open and stable trade flows.
Since the summer, industry on both sides of the Atlantic has expressed concern about the slow pace of follow-up. Producers and hospitality operators have consistently highlighted the importance of a rapid return to the long-standing zero-for-zero framework for spirits. This framework has historically provided predictability, supported investment, and strengthened the resilience of the hospitality sector, benefits that remain indispensable today.
spiritsEUROPE stands ready to support the European Commission, US counterparts, and global partners in securing a durable, mutually beneficial outcome: one that stabilizes the operating environment for producers and hospitality operators, reinforces the broader transatlantic economy, and strengthens a trading relationship long recognized as a model of constructive cooperation. With coordinated action and sustained political commitment, a full return to tariff-free trade in spirits remains within reach.
