In retaliating against trade tariffs, the European Union is doubling down on American Whiskey. EU trade chief Cecilia Malmström shut down a request to remove U.S. whiskey from the tariff list as fear the move would place further retaliation 
from the U.S. on Scotch whiskey.
In making the statement, Politico reports Malmström intends to hit the U.S. “where it hurts,” which includes agriculture. The trade official says the list created by the EU was “drafted on the basis of several parameters, including its capacity to induce policy change in the United States.” Malmström says its “well known” that the U.S. agriculture sector is one of the “few groups with political clout to bring about change in Washington,” adding “it’s no coincidence” that the EU, Mexico and Canada are targeting U.S. agriculture products in retaliation to the Trump steel and aluminum tariffs.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.