Wine Tariffs Already Applied, Goods to US Blocked

Vatican City: US tariffs on Italian wines have already been applied, and goods going to the US have been blocked, the Unione Vini wine group said Thursday.

According to Ansa News Agency, “The tariffs are already applied even if they do not exist because exports are blocked, American importers have blocked the import of our wines fearing that they will have to pay the duty because there is no rule that at least now excludes products in transit from the duties,” stated Paolo Castelletti, general director of the Unione Italiana Vini on the sidelines of the presentation of the 57th edition of Vinitaly.

Castelletti elaborated, “So when products in transit were also subject to duties, at that point the duty would fall on the importer, this would essentially mean going bankrupt.” The lack of clarity regarding the exemption of products in transit from duties has resulted in a significant halt in the trade of Italian wines to the US, causing concern among exporters and importers alike.