RILLY-LA-MONTAGNE (France) (AFP) – Corks aren’t popping for those who work in France’s cherished champagne industry, faced with looming US tariffs. On 7 August, a 15-percent levy on most EU exports to the US is set to come into force, with the French wine industry warning of a “brutal” impact from the tariffs, especially when combined with a declining US dollar. Producers’ associations say a drop in exports and a reduction in US consumption could create a loss of one billion euros and affect 600,000 jobs in France.
