Newhouse Emphasizes Importance of Wine Industry on Rural Economies, Calls for Removal of All Tariffs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) was joined by Congressional Wine Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and European Parliament counterparts in releasing the following statement on the US-EU Wine Trade Relationship. In advance of the US-EU Summit tomorrow in Brussels, it is an important time to demonstrate unified support for expanding transatlantic wine trade. The statement highlights the important role of wine production in both of our economies and calls on the US and the EU to expeditiously resolve current trade disputes and remove all tariffs on wine.

The EU and the US wine sectors play a critical role in supporting a vibrant transatlantic trade relationship. This sector is an essential driving force for many rural economies and for a significant number of medium and small enterprises.

The undersigned deeply regret that the wine sector, as a notable industry in our two economies is sometimes caught in the crosshairs of unrelated trade disputes, causing economic damage to producers, and putting the millions of jobs that they support at risk. Consumers are also victims of those trading conflicts, which can lead to higher prices and reduced consumer choice.

We urge the European Union and the US to resolve current trade disputes, to stop any related retaliatory action against wine exports, and to strengthen their bilateral partnership in order to avoid any sanctions against those sectors, including in the context of the current World Trade Organization Large Civil Aircraft Airbus-Boeing disputes.

As legislators and policy makers on both sides of the Atlantic, we acknowledge the importance and benefits of strengthening this bilateral partnership. Both the U.S. and the EU are each other's largest export markets, with the total wine trade reaching more than $5.3 billion (€4.5 billion) annually, creating jobs and investment and supporting sustainable agriculture on both sides of the Atlantic.

We ask our governments to further support the economic vitality and diversity of our wine sectors by working to remove all tariffs on wine to achieve a "zero for zero" wine trade environment.

We call on the EU and the US to work expeditiously to remove all tariffs on wine, thereby strengthening our transatlantic relationship and supporting this important, value-added agricultural sector.

US CONGRESS SIGNATORIES

Dan Newhouse, co-chair of the US Congressional Wine Caucus
Mike Thompson, co-chair of the US Congressional Wine Caucus

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT SIGNATORIES

Irène Tolleret, co-chair of the Intergroup on Wine, Spirits and Quality Foodstuffs.
Juan Ignacio Zoido, co-chair of the Intergroup on Wine, Spirits and Quality Foodstuffs
Pina Picierno, vice-chair of the Intergroup on Wine, Spirits and Quality Foodstuffs

This statement is supported by Wine Institute, WineAmerica, Wine Origins Alliance and the Napa Valley Vintners.

Click here to read the full text of the statement.

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