Uh-oh! There’s a big disagreement between the United States and Europe over drinks like wine and whisky! 🍷🥃
Recently, the U.S. government announced new taxes called tariffs on metals like steel and aluminum that come from Europe. This made the European Union (EU), a group of countries in Europe that work together, quite upset.
In response, the EU decided to put its own tariffs on American whisky. That means they’d charge extra money when whisky comes into Europe from the U.S. 🥃💰
Then things escalated! The U.S. President at the time, Donald Trump, said that unless the EU removes their tariffs on American whisky, the U.S. would put a huge 200% tariff on European wines, champagnes, and other drinks. That would make European wines much more expensive in the U.S.! 😱🍇
France, famous for its delicious wines and champagnes, wasn’t happy about this. French officials said they would fight back if the U.S. goes ahead with these big taxes. They want to protect their wine makers and workers. 🍾🇫🇷
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, said the EU is willing to talk with the U.S. to solve this problem but will defend their interests if needed. 🗣️🤝
Experts like Luka Brkic, a professor from Croatia, worry that these tariffs will hurt both sides. He said that tariffs don’t help anyone and can make things worse. 📚💡
Groups like the Federation of French Wine and Spirits Exporters and the Irish Whisky Association are also concerned. They think making drinks more expensive will hurt businesses and people who enjoy them. They hope both sides can keep alcoholic beverages out of trade fights. 🍻❤️
Let’s hope they can work things out so everyone can continue enjoying their favorite drinks without extra costs! Cheers to that! 🥂😊
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
