The Irish Whiskey Association said it is 'extremely concerned' by US President Donald Trump's threat to impose 200% tariffs on alcohol coming from the EU.
The European Commission announced this week that, in response to the US applying tariffs worth $28 billion, it would be imposing countermeasures worth €26 billion.
Whiskey is included in the EU's lengthy list of products that "could be subject to possible commercial policy measures."
The countermeasures have enraged Trump, who wrote on his Truth Social on Thursday morning: "The European Union, one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States, has just put a nasty 50% Tariff on Whisky.
"If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES.
"This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S."
His statement on Truth Social comes the day after he met with Ireland's Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the White House. A key feature of the Taoiseach's US engagements was moving to strengthen the robust business relationship between Ireland and the US.
While Trump appeared to warmly receive the Taoiseach, he did not disguise his criticism of the European Union, "the EU was set up in order to take advantage of the United States," he told a reporter in the White House.
When asked if that included Ireland, Trump said "of course," but went on to add that he couldn't blame Ireland, instead blaming previous "stupid" leadership in the US.
In a statement on Thursday, the Irish Whiskey Association said it is "honored" to be in Washington, DC this week to "to celebrate the friendship Ireland enjoys with the U.S.
"There is no better example of this friendship than the spirits sector – the U.S. is our biggest trading partner, and the export value of Irish drinks is over €800 million per annum."
The IWA went on to say that the European Commission's announcement about counter-measures, along with President Trump's response, are "extremely concerning to us."
The association said: "Our products are bound to the land – Irish Whiskey will always be Irish, just as Kentucky bourbon will always be Kentuckian.
"There is no winner in a trade war. The imposition of tariffs will impact on our businesses and our consumers.
"Having our sector implicated in this dispute puts jobs, investments and businesses at risk and has the potential to be devastating for Irish Whiskey.
"The EU and US governments introduced tariff-free trade in 1997 and saw the value of the sector increase exponentially in the years that followed, benefitting European and American businesses and consumers alike.
"We call on them to continue that legacy and maintain the tariff free environment for EU & US whiskey alike.
"We note that there is no tariff currently in place, and now is the time for dialogue.
"Our experience speaks to the benefits of a free and fair trading relationship, and we will continue to advocate for the reciprocity we’ve enjoyed since 1997 to be reinstated.
"The need to remove spirits from this dispute is immediate, and the clock is ticking."
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