New US tariffs could bring “devastating impacts” to the spirits sector, according to the Irish Whiskey Association.
The US represents 41 per cent of Irish drink exports every year, with the total value of the market calculated at €865 million annually.
In a statement, it highlighted a 450 per cent growth in the combined US and EU spirits sector under a tariff-free regime between 1997 and 2018.
It said: “Our high-quality jobs cannot be reshored or repatriated to the US. Our sectors are truly interconnected.
“There are many examples of EU and US distillers working together in developing portfolios, operating facilities, creating additional jobs and new investments in both jurisdictions.
“The EU and US spirits sector is the best-in-class model for reciprocal, zero-for-zero tariff trade.”
The representative body said the industry has surmounted challenges in the past and will continue to engage with the Irish Government and the EU to…
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