London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

Whiskey Makers Complain About UK, EU Tariffs Still in Place, Say ‘Significant Damage’ Done

Whiskey Makers Complain About UK, EU Tariffs Still in Place, Say ‘Significant Damage’ Done

The EU imposed tariffs on whiskey in response Trump-era steel tariffs but the Biden administration has not scrapped restrictions against the bloc yet, as tariffs on steel and aluminium have substantial support from the US steel industry and unions.

American whiskey manufacturers say Bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, and rye whiskey are still severely affected by Trump-era restrictions with EU and UK tariffs (25 percent) on American whiskey still in place, while the EU is expected to hike tariffs up to 50 percent.

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has urged top US trade envoy Katherine Tai to press on with the removal of thE tariffs.

“Swift removal of these tariffs will help support US workers and consumers as the economy and hospitality industry continue to recover from the pandemic,” the council stated.

The tariffs on American Whiskey cost distillers hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue between 2018 and 2020, with exports to the EU down by 37percent and exports to the UK falling by 53 percent, the council said.

Owner of the Kentucky-based James E. Pepper Distillery, Amir Peay, told the Associated Press that American whiskey has become “collateral damage” in trade disputes and that it has cost him about three-fourths of his European business with the looming EU tariff hike threatening to take it from him completely.

“That could possibly end our business in Europe as we’ve known it over the years,” Peay told the agency, adding that everything the company invested in the market to date “looks like it could be destroyed."

“It’s imperative that we get it resolved as soon as possible,” Lawson Whiting, president and CEO of Kentucky-based Brown-Forman Corp. – which produces Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey – said.

“We estimate that our company...has borne roughly 15 percent of the entire tariff bill levied against the US in response to steel and aluminum tariffs,” he said.

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association said that tariffs slashed Kentucky bourbon producers’ exports by 35 percent in 2020 as shipments to the EU, the largest global market for Kentucky distilleries, plummeted by nearly a half. According to the association’s estimates, Kentucky distilleries craft 95 percent of the world’s bourbon supply.

US whiskey makers have been caught up in the trade dispute between the US and Europe since 2018. The EU imposed tariffs on American whiskey and some other US products as a response to Trump’s decision to impose restrictions on steel and aluminium imported from the bloc. The sides have also hit each other with duties as part of the long-lasting Boeing-Airbus subsidy dispute.

Whiskey Suffers, Whisky Thrives


Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Scotch whiskey producers got some good news.

This month, Britain's Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss confirmed that the US and UK have reached an agreement over the suspension of tariffs on the drink.

She said that the parties negotiated the removal of Scotch whisky tariffs of 25 percent, removal of tariffs on cashmere, machinery, and other products as well as a joint de-escalation of the Boeing-Airbus dispute. The US has agreed to a four-month suspension of tariffs to give the two sides time to try and reconcile the latter dispute.

The Scotch Whisky Association complained last month that losses to whisky exports had reached £500 million (approx $684 million) since a 25 percent tariff from cheese to olives and single-malt whisky was imposed by the previous US administration in October 2019. This was in retaliation to EU state support for Airbus by European governments, including the UK, amid a 17-year row over government support for Airbus and Boeing, found to be illegal by the WTO in both cases.

Chief Executive of the association Karen Betts called the agreement "fabulous news" and said the industry is "delighted."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×