Donald Trump's threat of 200% tariffs on EU wine imports was a major talking point at this year's ProWein trade fair. While the European Committee of Wine Companies (CEEV) and national associations issued pre-fair statements urging the exclusion of wine from any potential trade disputes, Trump's volatile nature makes it impossible to predict whether, or for how long, the tariffs will be implemented.
As there is no guarantee that goods already in transit will be exempt from any newly imposed tariffs, the US Wine Trade Alliance (USWTA) has issued a recommendation to halt all shipments of wine, spirits, and beer from the EU. Accordingly, exhibitors at ProWein reported instances of their US importers canceling orders – unwilling to risk having goods in transit when tariffs take effect. The logistics sector is also already feeling the impact.
In response, Greek data service provider Oensights published a report outlining which EU countries would be hardest hit by the tariffs. Italy is likely to be particularly concerned, as Oensights data shows that 24.5% of its exports went to the US recently. France (20.7%) and Greece (19.4%) also have a high proportion of exports destined for the US. Spain (11%), Portugal (10.6%), Germany (9%), and Austria (8.2%) each sent roughly a tenth of their wine exports across the Atlantic. The impact is expected to be less drastic for countries like Hungary, where the US accounted for only 1.7% of the wine export market in 2024, according to Oensights data. VM
