The clock is ticking. Time to permanently remove tariffs on sectors unrelated to the steel and aluminium and large civil aircraft disputes!
Brussels/Washington – 7 December 2023. With less than a month before the reimposition of tariffs in the U.S.-EU steel and aluminium dispute on 1 January 2024, 87 sectors unrelated to the EU-U.S. steel and aluminium and the large aircraft disputes urge U.S. and EU leaders to reach an agreement to permanently remove all retaliatory tariffs on products unrelated to these disputes. The prospect of the return and increase of retaliatory tariffs in the steel and aluminum dispute, barely a month away, is causing unbearable uncertainty and instability for unrelated sectors.
Between 2018 and 2021, our industries and supply chains were severely impacted by the imposition of tariffs in disputes wholly unrelated to our sectors. We applauded the crucial agreements EU and U.S. leaders reached to suspend tariffs in 2021. These agreements provided important relief for our sectors, supported economic recovery after the difficult COVID period, and removed barriers to trade.
We hoped that a resolution of the steel and aluminium dispute would have been reached at the EU-U.S. Presidential Summit on 20 October. We now face the prospect of the reimposition of duties on our products, ingredients, and raw materials in the steel and aluminium dispute to the amount of more than €1.3 billion ($1.43 billion) [1] as of 1 January 2024. In the large civil aircraft dispute, tariffs would return in June 2026 without an agreement.
Therefore, we urge U.S. and EU leaders to prioritize securing the permanent removal of these debilitating tariffs on sectors unrelated to the steel and aluminium and large civil aircraft disputes. This would allow our members to strengthen the transatlantic trading relationship, which is critical to our industries, and to tackle pressing common challenges together in a spirit of unity.
If the permanent removal of tariffs on sectors unrelated to the disputes is not possible at this time, a further suspension of duties in the steel and aluminium dispute is necessary and should be announced without delay. The suspension should be long enough to provide affected sectors with long-term predictability.
[1] Calculation based on Eurostat data. It represents the duties that would have been paid in 2022 pursuant to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/886 on certain commercial policy measures concerning certain products originating in the United States of America and amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/724.
List of signatories:
American Apparel & Footwear Association
American Beverage Licensees
American Chemistry Council
American Craft Spirits Association
American Cranberry Growers Association
American Distilled Spirits Alliance
American Distilling Institute
American Single Malt Commission
Arizona Craft Distillers Guild
Associated Equipment Distributors
Association des Constructeurs Européens de Motocycles (ACEM)
Association of Chocolate, Biscuit and Confectionery Industries of Europe (CAOBISCO)
Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association
California Artisanal Distillers Guild
Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association
Colorado Distillers Guild
Comité Européen des Entreprises Vins (CEEV)
Committee for European Construction Equipment
Connecticut Spirits Trail
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
Distillers Association of North Carolina
EU Grouping of manufacturers and distributors of Semi-Luxury Lighters
EuroCommerce
European Agricultural Machinery Industry Association (CEMA)
European Apparel and Textile Confederation (EURATEX)
European Association of Cereals, Rice, Feedstuffs, Oilseeds, Olive oil, Oils and fats and Agrosupply trade (COCERAL)
European Association of Dairy Trade (EUCOLAIT)
European Association of Fruit and Vegetable Processors (PROFEL)
European Association of Manufacturing Technologies (CECIMO)
European Boating Industry (EBI)
European Dairy Association
European Federation for Print and Digital Communication (INTERGRAF)
European Federation of the Trade in Dried Fruit, Edible Nuts, Processed Fruit & Vegetables and Processed Fishery Products (FRUCOM)
European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC)
European Gaming & Amusement Federation
European Power Tool Association
European Snacks Association
Farmers for Free Trade
Federation of the European Cookware, Cutlery and Houseware Industries
Florida Craft Spirits Association
French Federation of Wines and Spirits Exporters
Home Appliance Europe (APPLiA)
Idaho Distillers Association
Illinois Craft Distillers Association
Independent Restaurant Coalition
Iowa Distillers Alliance
Kentucky Distillers’ Association
Louisiana Distillers Guild
Maryland Distillers Guild
Maryland Wineries Association
Michigan Craft Distillers Association
Midwest Food Processors Association
Montana Distillers Guild
Napa Valley Vintners
National Association of Beverage Importers
National Association of Wine Retailers
National Confectioners Association
National Council of Chain Restaurants
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)
National Restaurant Association
National Retail Federation
New Hampshire Distillers Guild
New Jersey Craft Distillers Guild
New York State Distillers Guild
North American Shippers Association
NY Wine Industry Association
Ohio Distillers Guild
Oregon Distillers Guild
Oregon Wine Council
Pennsylvania Distillers Guild
South Carolina Distillers Guild
spiritsEUROPE
Tennessee Distillers Guild
Texas Distilled Spirits Association
U.S. Lighter Association
U.S. Wine Trade Alliance
United States Bartenders’ Guild
United States Motorcycle Manufacturers Association
USA Rice
Vinyl Institute
Virginia Distillers Association
Washington Wine Institute
Willamette Valley Wineries Association
Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America
Wine and Spirits Shippers Association
Wine Institute
WineAmerica
