Duties: the world of Italian wine fears the new US ax from 13 January

ROME - The consultation launched by the US Department of Commerce (USTR) will conclude on January 13 with the publication of a list of products that could be affected by new duties, up to 100% of the value of the goods. The list contains numerous wine products from all Member States, including Italy. The president of Unione Italiana Vini (Uiv) Ernesto Abbona reminds him in stressing that "in this scenario of extreme uncertainty, the UIV acted immediately with national and European institutions, urging an active dialogue with our American partners, to avoid damage. huge and unjustified towards the world of Italian wine ".

For Abbona "the protection of the business and jobs in America of the subjects who today import our wines and have invested in our brands is one of the arguments that could convince the Trump government to exempt our sector and our country from any "measures. Hence the appeal to join the public consultation that will decide the fate of Italian wine products.

To encourage the mobilization of the Italy Vineyard - importers, distributors, restaurateurs and professionals - in the US public consultation that will decide the fate of Italian wine products, Uiv announces that it has intended an important economic investment in an unprecedented action: a campaign of social communication, in coordination with the importers of our companies, towards American consumers and the operators of the supply chain (catering, distribution, etc.), so that they participate in the public consultation, making their voice heard by the US Administration.

In collaboration with the importers themselves and their representative association (Nabi) Uiv is also coordinating an articulated lobbying action towards the Congress.
"Uiv is strongly mobilizing directly with the American importers, also supported by the Embassy of Italy in Washington, which we thank, for a coordination action with the subjects who would be directly damaged by the measures of the American government. To date - Paolo points out Castelletti, secretary general of Uiv - the comments received by the Department are around 12,000: a number that is still too low, so we must act immediately. The imposition of a 100% duty would completely put Italian wines out of business with disastrous consequences for businesses , the wine growers, the territories ".

The United States is the first destination, in volume and value, of sales of Italian wine, around 1.5 billion euros, corresponding to over 3.3 million hectoliters. "We therefore ask - concludes Castelletti - in support of a concrete commitment of associations and companies, a strong diplomatic action by the Government, appealing to the sensitivity and sense of responsibility of the President of the Conte Council and of Ministers Di Maio and Bellanova: the sector Italian wine cannot be called to pay the very high price of a trade war that could irreparably compromise the balance of the supply chain. No support measure for the sector will be able to compensate for the very serious losses of market shares that we could suffer ".