The Wine Origins Alliance, a global coalition of 32 wine and grape-growing organizations, called on President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to promote wine exports by removing barriers to trade. In a memo congratulating the two on their historic victory, the Alliance detailed ongoing trade issues faced. Retaliatory tariffs on wine have been proposed or levied in response to unrelated trade issues such as the World Trade Organization’s aircraft subsidy dispute, digital services taxes in Europe and ongoing trade tensions with China. The Wine Origins Alliance encouraged the administration to “limit tariffs in these disputes to the relevant products and seek a swift resolution in order to protect American businesses and consumers at an already difficult and uncertain time.” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer set new 25% tariffs on Cognac and certain non-sparkling wines from France and Germany, effective Jan. 12 in a move he said came in response to the EU’s November decision to impose tariffs on U.S. rum, brandy, vodka and vermouth.