The USA has agreed to suspend tariffs for four months on UK goods, which include Scottish single malt whisky. The tariffs were imposed in retaliation over subsidies to aircraft maker Airbus.

Commenting on the four-month suspension of US tariffs on Scotch whisky, Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association Karen Betts said: “This is fabulous news, and our industry is delighted.  The tariff on single malt Scotch whisky exports to the US has been doing real damage to Scotch Whisky in the sixteen months it has been in place, with exports to the US falling by 35 percent, costing companies over half a billion pounds. 

“So today, everyone in our industry – from small companies to large – is breathing a sigh of relief.  Suspending these tariffs – stemming from a transatlantic trade dispute that had nothing to do with us – and a return to tariff-free trade with the US means livelihoods and communities across Scotland will be protected.  It means that companies can now really focus on recovery – on building back the American market as well as on building back global exports hit by the coronavirus pandemic. 

“I want to pay tribute in particular to the hard work of Liz Truss, International Trade Secretary, and her team.  Her commitment to finding a resolution of this issue, alongside Kwasi Kwarteng, Business Secretary, has been very encouraging through what has been a particularly difficult period for our industry.  Distillers will certainly be raising a dram to her tonight.

“The UK government and the new US administration will now need to work hard on finding a negotiated settlement to this long-running aerospace dispute.  We hope too that both governments will be able to find a rapid, pragmatic solution to the steel and aluminium dispute which still impacts US whiskey exports to the UK.”