Trump decides to make 'American champagne' and threatens 200% tariffs for EU
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The US administration will impose 200 percent duties on wines and champagne from the European Union. This will help American producers of these products, according to US President Donald Trump.
Trump threatens the EU, "one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the world," with 200% tariffs on "all wines, champagnes and alcoholic products coming out of France and other EU represented countries."
He said this would be a response to EU plans to impose "a nasty" 50 percent tariffs on American whiskey.
Trump said that the proposed US retaliatory measures would be "great for the wine and champagne businesses in the US".
Champagne
In the European Union, Champagne is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). This means that only sparkling wine produced in the French region of Champagne following the established rules can be officially called Champagne.
The protection of the Champagne name is regulated by EU law and international agreements, such as the Lisbon Treaty and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
In other countries, including Ukraine, the use of the word "champagne" for wine not produced in this region of France is prohibited or gradually restricted under agreements with the EU. In Ukraine, for example, since 2021, producers have refused to use this name, replacing it with "sparkling wine".
Trump, after returning to the White House, has launched trade wars with his allies: Canada, Mexico, and the EU. In particular, Trump imposed 25% duties on steel and aluminum from the EU. In response, Brussels imposed its own tariffs on American goods worth €26 billion.
The EU will target American steel and aluminum products, as well as textiles, agricultural products, and household appliances. The EU will also hit goods that were the subject of its previous trade war with Trump, such as boats, bourbon, and motorcycles.
