The European Commission announced on Wednesday that it would reinstate tariffs on several well-known American products, including Harley-Davidson motorcycles, jeans, and bourbon. In response, former U.S. President Donald Trump quickly reacted the following day by threatening to impose a 200 percent tariff on all wines, champagne, and other alcoholic beverages from France and other EU nations.
François Bayrou criticized the Commission’s choice of targeted products, arguing that it had merely reused an outdated list without properly reassessing it. His remarks suggest that Trump’s tariff threats against the EU’s alcohol sector may have been triggered by Brussels’ decision to target bourbon in its retaliation measures.
Bayrou also warned that France’s cognac industry is once again at risk of becoming collateral damage in the escalating transatlantic trade tensions. This comes at a time when the sector is already feeling the impact of another dispute between the EU and China. Last year, Beijing launched an investigation into European brandy imports—including French cognac—in response to the EU’s tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
Speaking after meeting with cognac producers on Friday, Bayrou emphasized the industry’s challenges, stating, “They are under the double fire of China on one side, and of the United States on the other.”
The Chinese trade probe is expected to be a key issue on the agenda for France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, who is scheduled to visit China before the end of March.
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