The United States is the largest foreign market for French wines and spirits, accounting for a quarter of the total value of French exports in 2024, according to the French Federation of the Wine and Spirits Industry. This is a concern for the Gard department, as it could directly feel the effects of the new tariffs announced by President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday evening, Trump introduced new tariffs, imposing a 20% tax on European goods, with even higher rates for other regions—34% for China and 10% for the UK. These tariffs are added to existing duties on foreign products entering the U.S. For example, cars imported to the U.S. now face an additional 25% tax. However, the White House appears determined to continue down this path, suggesting that more tariffs could follow.
Why is Trump doing this? It’s evident that the U.S. economy is not in the best shape, and the country’s massive debt likely requires some form of protection for the U.S. market. To shore up the finances, Trump is declaring a trade war with the rest of the world, and China, which depends heavily on global exports, is already preparing for countermeasures. For now, Trump seems unconcerned, even emboldened.
The new tariffs will hit the French wine and spirits sector particularly hard. The United States is the number one foreign market for French wine, and it will likely bear the brunt of these tariffs. The Gard department, home to significant wine production, is especially vulnerable. The Languedoc-Roussillon region, which includes the Gard, is France’s top wine-growing area for producing table wine grapes. According to the Chambre d’agriculture Occitanie, the region is responsible for 23% of France’s wine production by volume, including 40% of the country’s red and rosé wines.
In 2023, French wine exports totaled €865 million to the U.S. alone. If these new tariffs persist, it could put many in the industry, including workers in the Gard, in serious financial trouble. This isn’t just about numbers on a balance sheet—these tariffs could impact the livelihoods of many people who depend on wine production for their income.
The new tariffs are a clear example of Trump’s economic strategy, which critics argue is purely cynical. While designed to protect American industry, these tariffs could devastate sectors in countries like France, where wine is integral to the economy, particularly in regions like the Gard. The full impact of these decisions is still unfolding, but the consequences could be severe for the French wine industry, with the Gard potentially facing the worst effects.
This article is originally published on objectifgard.
