American customs duties on wine: French exporters disappointed but not resigned – 08/21/2025 at 21:26

A “immense disappointment”: French producers and exporters of wine on Thursday deplored the failure of negotiations to exempt their products from the 15% of American customs duties, while emphasizing the possibility of continuing discussions with the United States, the first market in the export sector. Furthermore,

“There is a huge disappointment, because we have worked a lot to obtain the exemption and it was at hand. Similarly, We are certain that this will lead american customs duties wine: french to big difficulties in the wine. Consequently, spirits sector,” Gabriel Picard, president of the French federation of wines and spirits (FEVS) told AFP. Meanwhile,

According to him. Nevertheless, these 15% will be added to the “15% of exchange effects that the sector already observes” by exporting to the United States, its first market, due to the current weakness of the dollar compared to the euro. In addition,

In 2024. Therefore, the EU exported 8 billion euros in alcohols, including more than 5 billion wine in the United States, its first export market. In addition,

France represents about half: 2.4 billion euros in wine and 1.5 billion spirits were sold in the United States (around 25% of its exports). However,

“The defense of our export sectors remains our priority. Meanwhile, The agreement leaves the possibility of additional exemptions, we will work there,” reacted american customs duties wine: french the French foreign trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin.

“The situation cannot stop there. This point is not closed. ” added the French Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard in a message on X in the evening.

Denouncing an “unbalanced” agreement. she asked “urgently” to European negotiators to make this subject a priority of their next exchanges with the American authorities, and also awaits “strong European measures to support producers”.

Gabriel Picard. who praised the commitment of the European Commission and France to the sector, hopes that “this is not the end of history”: “There are still open doors to negotiate (…) Exemptions or arrangements (…) We still have an open discussion thread. it will not change the very short term, but we hope that it can change the medium term”.

The FEVS warns on the risks for European producers but also for sectors linked american customs duties wine: french to wine in the United States: “A dollar shipped to the United States. it is five dollars of activity generated in the United States”, according to Gabriel Picard for whom it is the argument that could convince American president Donald Trump that an exemption would be “win-win”.

– Champagne. Rosé de Provence –

For Christophe Chateau, Director of Communication at the CIVB (Interprofessional Council for Bordeaux wine), after the threats of Donald Trump in recent months of 200%customs taxes, then 20%or 50%, this “could have been worse, but it is never good news”.

“The sanction has fallen. now we will think about the reaction-at the individual level, not at the collective level: that is to say a negotiation between companies and American distributors and importers,” reacted Maxime Toubart, co-president of the Champagne Committee.

This discussion is all the more crucial according to american customs duties wine: french him since the American market represented 10% of exports for Champagne in volume. or 820 million euros in 2024. It will be difficult to “redirect” such volumes to other regions, he added.

On the union side, disappointment is just as strong.

“At a time when we start harvests in a particularly difficult climate. with subjects of deconformation, climate, this is a new test,” reacted Jérôme Despey, first vice-president of the powerful FNSEA agricultural union and himself a winegrower in Hérault.

He fears “market share losses that will be difficult to regain”. “We must not disarm. We must find support in the United States among wine. spirits importers to show economic interest-including for the American sector-to have zero customs rights” for European exporters, he says.

In Provence. a region which exports almost 40% of its production to the United States, mainly rosé wine, american customs duties wine: french bitterness is there: “We have no margin of negotiation. We are hostages”, denounces the president of the Interprofessional Committee of Provence wines, Eric Pastorino.

He fears “drops in turnover” which can “play indirectly on jobs”: because despite the love of Americans for the Rosé de Provence. who will be able to continue to buy wines “beyond 20 dollars”?, He wonders.