Politics. Customs duties: Bercy wants wines and spirits to be exempt
Following a meeting at Bercy between all parties concerned by the EU-United States trade agreement on customs duties, the French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Laurent Saint-Martin, outlined his priorities.
The government and employers' organizations met at Bercy this Wednesday to discuss the EU-US trade agreement and its consequences. Photo Sipa/Romuald Meigneux
There is "no taboo" in rebalancing trade with the United States by also taking into account services, declared the French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, following the EU-Washington trade agreement covering only goods.
"If Donald Trump 's intention was to rebalance the balance of goods, then I believe there is no taboo on the balance of services either," which is in surplus in favor of the United States, Laurent Saint-Martin declared on Wednesday following a meeting at Bercy with the economic sectors affected by the trade agreement establishing 15% customs duties as of August 1 .
"What we are pushing very clearly is an exemption for the wine and spirits sector, in addition to aeronautics," he added regarding the sectors that would be exempt from customs duties.
Le Progrès
