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The US will apply a 15 per cent tariff to imports of EU wine and spirits from Friday while negotiations continue, the European Commission has said, despite France and Italy’s campaign for a carve-out.
The EU said it has secured exemptions for a number of products — including aircraft, aircraft parts and cork — from the overall tariff rate on most exports to the US.
But for others, including for the sensitive wine and spirits sector, exemptions have not been agreed.
“[It is] not our expectation that wine and spirits will be included in the first group [of exemptions to be] announced by the US tomorrow, therefore those products will be captured by the 15 per cent ceiling,” said Olof Gill, EU trade spokesperson, adding that negotiations continued.
The statement comes as US trading partners are rushing to finalise tariff deals ahead of President Donald Trump’s deadline of August 1. Last weekend, the EU agreed a deal for tariffs of 15 per cent on most exports to the US.
The European Commission also signalled on Thursday that a planned EU-US joint statement fleshing out their trade deal could be delayed, saying that “more time is required” to finalise the text.
EU officials had previously expected the joint statement to be issued on Friday.
However, the commission said it still expects the US to implement the 15 per cent tariff rate and a number of agreed exemptions as of Friday, though it said this was dependent on Trump signing an executive order.
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