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Brewers warned that a 25% rate on beer imports in the United States could lead to 100,000 job losses and brasseries in Europe when they called the European Commission to defend them against levy.
The introduction of the sample this week as part of the “Liberation Day” of American President Donald Trump “by American president Donald Trump” price Blinded the brewers and will inflict a financial blow to American importers of European and Mexican beers such as Heineken and Corona.
Brewers said they were confused as to whether the new price applied to all beer or only products imported into cans.
“We call on the Commission to use all diplomatic channels and that by negotiation or reprisals, find a way to defuse this price in which we have become a collateral victim,” said Julia Leferman, secretary general of Brewers of Europe, a commercial group whose members include AB Inbev, Heineken and Molson Coors.
The Brasseurs de Europe, who also represent Carlsberg, Asahi and the 28 -country sales groups, said that the EU’s general management of the EU had contacted US officials but had not managed to clarify the scope of the prices, which comes into force on Friday.
The rate of 25% is higher than the tariff of 20% which will apply to all EU goods imported into the United States.
European brewers exported 870 million euros in beer in the United States in 2024, according to the commercial group. He estimates that 100,000 out of 2 million brewing jobs in the block could be lost as a result of this decision.
Analysts believe that American imports of Mexican beers represent around 85% of sales by Constellation Brands, which produces Corona and Modelo. Heineken exposure is much lower, imports to the United States representing 3% of group sales.
The constellation did not immediately respond to a request for comments. Heineken refused to comment.
Aluminum imports to the United States were already subject to prices before Trump's radical announcements this week, which widens his world trade war.
Brewers were dragged into the president's net Thursday when the US trade department added imports of “beer” and “empty aluminum cans” to the list of products subject to a price of 25%.
“We have trouble understanding why beer has been demoted to be a product derived from aluminum,” said Leferman. “It cannot be listed alongside cables and wires.”
The amendment to the amendment of the trade department to its “presidential aluminum proclamation” has left many unanswered questions, industry said.
A framework of One International Brewer said that it was not clear if only beer in cans was included in the scope of the price or all beer. Another brewing giant said that the amendment wording “provoked confusion”, adding that they had for the moment concluded that it meant cans of beer and beer.
Citi analysts said that the change meant that American drinking producers were “likely to get more cans at the national level”, but that the wider impact on the aluminum market would be “marginal”. Aluminum in cans came mainly from Mexico, Canada and China, they said.
William Bain, head of trade policy in the British chambers of commerce, said that beer had been included in prices after representations of American industry, which makes foreign competition more difficult to access the American market.
Additional Peter Foster report in London
