Overview
- President Donald Trump told the New York Post on Monday that he will impose 100% customs duties on all French wines and champagnes unless France abolishes its 3% digital-services tax on large tech firms.
- French president Emmanuel Macron said he seeks a "respectful but firm" discussion with Trump and defended France’s sovereign right to set the tax, with talks scheduled around the G7 in Évian.
- The United States is the top market for French wines and spirits, importing roughly €2.9 billion over the last 12 months and accounting for about 18% of exports, a concentration that industry groups say makes the sector vulnerable to tariff threats.
- Trade and business leaders in France, including the FEVS and retail chief Michel-Édouard Leclerc, have warned that steep U.S. duties would cause real damage to producers, retailers, and jobs tied to champagne and cognac.
- The June 15 threat fits a pattern of high-percentage tariff warnings by Trump that have sometimes been floated without immediate implementation, though earlier tariff moves and a 15% duty in recent agreements have already cut U.S. sales and will make G7 talks a test of whether rhetoric turns into action.