For Europe Inc, US tariff relief comes with a sting in the tail

MILAN/FRANKFURT/LONDON/PARIS – From European winemakers to chemical companies and distillers, the

US Supreme Court ruling knocking down a large part of US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs

comes with a sting in the tail – an even more uncertain trade outlook.

In a decision that will ripple through the global economy, the top US court struck down Mr Trump’s sweeping tariffs imposed under a law meant for use in national emergencies, handing a stinging defeat to the Republican leader.

But while many businesses cheered after lengthy legal battles against tariffs, European trade groups, companies and analysts worried that the ruling may make trade relations even more messy after hard-struck trade deals in 2025.

Mr Paolo Castelletti, secretary-general of Italian wine association UIV, said: “This ruling... risks creating a boomerang effect, producing further uncertainty and a freeze on orders while operators wait for a clearer regulatory framework.”

The US is the top market for Italian wines, with about €1.9 billion (S$2.8 billion) in exports in 2024, making up almost a quarter of Italy’s total wine shipments globally.

Many companies cautioned that Mr Trump would likely look to other avenues to impose similar tariffs, dulling the benefit of lower levies, while the move could stoke tensions between the US and major trade partners. Tariff refunds will also be hard to get.

Responding to the ruling, Mr Trump announced new global tariffs of 10 per cent for an initial 150-day period and acknowledged it was not clear if or when there would be any refunds.

‘A new round of uncertainty’

Mr Steve Ovara, chair of the international trade practice group at law firm King and Spalding, said companies his firm advises, from large US manufacturers to consumer and technology groups, mostly expected any relief from tariffs to be short-lived.

“The major issue everybody’s going to be dealing with for at least the short term is some additional uncertainty,” he said.

Mr Wolfgang Grosse Entrup, managing director of German chemicals and pharmaceutical lobby VCI, which represents companies such as BASF, Bayer and Evonik, agreed.

“For our firms, this isn’t the start of a phase of stability, but a new round of uncertainty. Anyone who believes this means the tariff conflict is over is mistaken,” he said. “New tariffs based on a different legal basis are possible at any time.”

Mr Peter Sand, chief analyst at freight pricing platform Xeneta, said political risk remained for shippers, with trends to de-risk supply chains an “irreversible trend”.

“The damage to many shippers’ supply chains is largely done and probably won’t be undone,” he added.

No ‘silver bullet’ to get rid of tariffs

French cosmetics association FEBEA, which has companies such as L’Oreal as members, said it was “very cautious” on the ruling and would watch how the US government responded, including with potential new tariffs.

“We are all used to the twists and turns on this subject of customs duties,” said FEBEA secretary-general Emmanuel Guichard.

Mr Massimiliano Giansanti, president of Italian farmers’ group Confagricoltura, said the US ruling “dismantles the entire legal basis” for Mr Trump’s tariffs, but warned it complicated things for exporters just as they were adapting to US tariffs.

“All this generates deep instability at a time when we need certainty and have begun a process together with our US importers,” he said.

In Ireland, whiskey exporters are waiting to see what happens next before taking action, said Mr Eoin O Cathain, director of the Irish Whiskey Association, adding political negotiations and de-escalation were more likely to resolve tariff challenges.

“This isn’t a silver bullet to get rid of tariffs,” he said. “This is just another complication; it’s another twist in the story.” REUTERS