Dear Presidents von der Leyen and Biden,
Certainty and stability in the transatlantic trade relationship are of enormous importance to our sectors. Between 2018 and 2021, our industries, suppliers, and supply chains were severely impacted by the imposition of tariffs in disputes wholly unrelated to our sectors, and we applaud the crucial agreements you reached to suspend the retaliatory tariffs in 2021.
These agreements provided important relief for our sectors, supporting economic recovery after the difficult COVID period, and removed barriers to trade that inhibited growth, job creation, and investments in the EU and the U.S.
On behalf of the 84 undersigned associations, we are now writing to express our united and urgent call to build on the 2021 agreements and to permanently remove the retaliatory tariffs on products unrelated to the steel and aluminum and WTO Large Civil Aircraft disputes. It is particularly crucial to reach such an agreement in the steel and aluminium dispute, where sectors unrelated to the dispute risk seeing a return of the EU’s tariffs that were in place pre-suspension, along with a second tranche of tariffs as of January 1, 2024.
At a time of increased geopolitical tensions and volatility, the permanent removal of tariffs on unrelated sectors will support efforts to grow the transatlantic economy and enable our sectors to play a full part in addressing global challenges.
Accordingly, we urge you to reach an agreement in the steel and aluminium dispute during the upcoming Presidential Summit to ensure that retaliatory tariffs on sectors unrelated to the dispute are permanently removed before January 1, 2024. We also urge you to secure the permanent removal of retaliatory tariffs on products unrelated to the WTO Large Civil Aircraft dispute without delay, and in any case, before the tariff suspension expires in June 2026.
We stand ready to support your efforts and look forward to continuing to work with you and your teams. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can provide any additional information.
List of signatories:
American Apparel & Footwear Association
ACEM – European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers
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
APPLiA – Home Appliance Europe
Arizona Craft Distillers Guild
Associated Equipment Distributors
Association of Manufacturers and distributors of Semi-Luxury Lighters
Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association
California Artisanal Distillers Guild
CAOBISCO – Chocolate, Biscuits and Confectionery of Europe
Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association
CECE – Committee for European Construction Equipment
CECIMO – European Association of the Machine Tool Industries
CEEV – Comité Européen des Entreprises Vin
CEMA – European Agricultural Machinery Industry Association
COCERAL – European association of trade in cereals, oilseeds, rice, pulses, olive oil, oils and fats, animal feed and agrosupply
Colorado Distillers Guild
Connecticut Spirits Trail
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
Distillers Association of North Carolina
ESA – European Snacks Association
EUCOLAIT – European Association of Dairy Trade
EURATEX – The European Apparel and Textile Confederation
EuroCommerce
EUROMAT – European Gaming & Amusement Federation
European Boating Industry
Farmers for Free Trade
FEC – Federation of European manufacturers of Cookware and cutlery
FEVS – Fédération des Exportateurs de Vins & Spiritueux de France
Florida Craft Spirits Association
FRUCOM – European Federation of the Trade in Dried Fruit, Edible Nuts, Processed Fruit & Vegetables and Processed Fishery Products
Idaho Distillers Association
Illinois Craft Distillers Association
Independent Restaurant Coalition
Intergraf – European federation for print and digital communication
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
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
PROFEL – European Association of Fruit and Vegetable Processing Industries
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
