The Associated Cooperage Industries Association of America (ACIA) and the Virginia Spirits Association (VSA) are the latest additions to the coalition, which represents the entire three-tier system of the U.S. alcohol industry and is in opposition to tariffs on spirits and wine.
Looming Tariff Deadline
The EU is set to reimpose and double tariffs on American whiskey to 50% on March 31, 2025, unless new agreements are reached in ongoing trade disputes. The tariffs, originally imposed during steel, aluminum, and World Trade Organization (WTO) large civil aircraft disputes, are currently suspended.
Additional tariffs related to the WTO large civil aircraft dispute could return in July 2026, further impacting the industry.
“In less than three months, the EU’s tariffs on American whiskeys will return at a massive 50% rate,” the coalition said. “Now more than ever, it’s imperative that the entire beverage alcohol industry join our voices together to send a strong and unified message that tariffs on beverage alcohol products must come to an immediate end.”
Industry Impact
Melissa Zoeller, executive director of ACIA, highlighted the broader economic implications: “Tariffs on distilled spirits and wines affect American cooperages that supply barrels to distillers here in the U.S. and worldwide. We are joining the Toast Not Tariffs Coalition to ensure our voice is heard and to highlight the devastating wide-ranging downstream economic impacts of tariffs on wines and spirits.”
The threat to employment is significant, according to Don Tierney, executive director of VSA. “The beverage alcohol sector supports millions of good-paying jobs in every state, including more than 18,000 in Virginia,” he said. “Reimposing these tariffs will threaten those jobs.”
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The coalition continues advocating for permanent removal of tariffs on U.S., UK, and EU spirits and wines, representing interests across the industry from distillers and vintners to importers, wholesalers, and retailers.
