SWA comments on USTR tariff list

A spokesperson for the SWA said:

“Exports of Scotch Whisky to the US have been zero tariff for twenty years, so it is disappointing that Scotch Whisky has been drawn into this dispute.

“The Scotch Whisky industry has consistently opposed the imposition of tariffs, which harms economies on both sides of the Atlantic which depend on trade for their continued prosperity.

 “There is a close relationship between the US whiskies and Scotch Whisky, not least due to the use of bourbon casks for maturation which generates around £70m for the US economy each year.

“We continue to urge the UK government, the EU and the US government to resolve the Airbus-Boeing subsidies dispute without resorting to tariff retaliations for unrelated sectors.”

Ends

Notes:

Scotch Whisky makes up 12% of the total whisk(e)y market in the United States, with US whiskey accounting for 48%.

The United States is the world’s largest export market for Scotch Whisky by value - £1.04bn in 2018. By volume, it is the second largest, with 137m 70cl bottles exported last year.