U.S. keeps 10% tariff on Irish whiskey more than a month after Trump’s pledge

Irish whiskey entering the United States is still subject to a 10% tariff, even as Irish and European officials continue talks on how to carry out President Donald Trump’s September pledge to remove it.

The issue remains under technical discussion more than a month after Trump said at his Doonbeg golf resort in western Ireland that the tariff would be lifted. Since then, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been in what it described as intensive engagement with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on the details needed to put the change into effect.

The tariff matters because the United States is the largest export market for Irish whiskey. As long as the 10% duty remains in place, Irish producers face a cost burden in a market where Scotch whisky and whiskey made in Northern Ireland are not paying the same tariff. That gap can shape shelf prices, squeeze margins for importers and distillers, and affect the ability of Irish brands to compete in the most important overseas market for the category.

Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Helen McEntee said Ireland’s position is that tariffs should be removed not only for Irish whiskey but for all European Union spirits. Her stance points to a broader EU interest in using the current negotiations to secure zero tariffs across the sector rather than a narrower exemption for one product or one country.

That wider position has support elsewhere in Europe. France’s trade minister, Nicolas Forissier, has also called for the removal of U.S. tariffs on French cognac, according to the report. The European Commission, which handles trade matters for the EU, is waiting for details on how the United States plans to turn Trump’s announcement into law.

The lack of legal text or formal implementation steps appears to be the main reason the tariff is still being collected. Trade announcements often require follow-up action through customs rules, regulatory notices, or other legal instruments before importers can ship under new terms. Irish officials have not said when that process will be completed, and no formal effective date has been announced.

The Irish Whiskey Association said it remains in contact with both the Irish government and the Irish embassy in Washington as it presses for the change to be completed. Eoin Ó Catháin, speaking for the association, said the group is looking forward to the tariff liberalization being realized because of the importance of the U.S. market to Irish whiskey.

The association also pointed to a recent precedent suggesting that implementation may take time even after a political decision is announced. It said a similar move involving Scotch took about three months to put in place. That comparison offers a rough guide, but officials have not indicated whether the same timeline will apply in this case.

For drinks companies, the delay keeps uncertainty in place at a sensitive moment for pricing and sales planning. Importers, distributors, and producers often set promotions, inventory levels, and contracts months ahead. Until the tariff is formally removed, businesses selling Irish whiskey into the United States must continue to account for the extra 10% charge, even though both Dublin and Brussels are pushing for a zero-tariff outcome.