Usa, duties on Eu products at 15% since August, 7. While wine still hopes in “zero-for-zero”

Expected today, the 15% tariffs on EU products bound for the U.S., including wine, will now come into effect on August 7. The announcement came overnight from Washington, with an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The order confirmed the threshold agreed upon with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, while also modifying tariffs for certain countries, such as Canada, for example, which will see its rate rise from 25% to 35%. According to EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who commented on X, “the new U.S. tariffs reflect the initial outcomes of the EU-U.S. agreement, particularly the 15% threshold on all-inclusive tariffs. This strengthens the stability of European businesses and confidence in the transatlantic economy. EU exporters now benefit from a more competitive position. The work continues”. Looking on the bright side, in this climate of general uncertainty, the delay offers a few more days of hope that wine might be included in the “zero-for-zero” list, i.e. products excluded from tariffs. And, while the European Commission poured some cold water on that hope yesterday, with spokesperson Olof Gill clearly stating, “we do not expect wine and spirits to be in the first group of exemptions announced tomorrow by the U.S.”, the fact that “tomorrow” has been pushed back leaves room for optimism.
“There are ongoing negotiations between U.S. and EU officials, and active discussions are still underway to secure an exemption for wine and alcoholic drinks from the new tariffs. We remain fully engaged with the relevant agencies and strongly support a “zero-for-zero” framework that benefits the entire U.S. wine industry, both importers and domestic producers,” commented the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance (Uswta). Which adds: “however, as of today, the tariffs remain in effect for affected wine and spirits products. The rate starting on August 1st is 15%. That said, the administration has announced a critical short-term exemption for certain shipments.” Particularly, the Uswta explained, “products loaded onto a ship within the next seven days and arriving in the U.S. before 12:01 a.m. Edt on October 5, 2025, will not be subject to the recently increased tariffs. These shipments will instead remain subject to the previously imposed tariffs under Executive Order 14257 (and subsequent amendments). This provides companies with a narrow but valuable window to act”. All of this, however, unfolds in a climate of great uncertainty, which is perhaps the worst enemy for businesses. Moreover, Trump’s executive order includes an important clause, a 40% tariff will be applied to any goods that U.S. Customs and Border Protection determines were “transshipped” to avoid higher tariffs elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Italian wine producers are watching the situation closely, as the U.S. is by far their largest foreign market, accounting for nearly a quarter of Italy’s total wine exports with 1.9 billion euros in value. The tariff issue will be central to a meeting called by the Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida, with the wine industry on August 4th at Palazzo Chigi, the “home” of the Italian government. As previously reported, the meeting will also address a structural relaunch plan for Italian wine, which is facing a market crisis, part of a broader global sector downturn, arising, first of all, from duties controversy, declining consumption, health trends, climate change, and the need to reassess production levels, and not only.