Irish Whiskey Association welcomes announcement of EU-India free trade agreement
The Irish Whiskey Association, the representative body for the Irish Whiskey sector, has today welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on the EU-India free trade agreement.
Speaking today in Brussels, the Director of the Irish Whiskey Association, Eoin Ó Catháin, commented:
“The EU-India trade deal announced today marks a milestone for Irish Whiskey and Irish drinks exporters: this will greatly ease trade with the biggest whiskey market in the world, and it facilitates market diversification at a pivotal time for our sector.”
India is among the fastest growing markets for Irish Whiskey: according to the latest IWSR data, Irish Whiskey sales in India surpassed 700,000 cases in 2024, a 57.5% growth year-on-year, and an incredible 900% increase since 2020.
Remarkably, all this was achieved while exporters faced a prohibitive 150% tariff.
Key Highlights of the Deal:
- Immediate Tariff Relief: The current 150% tariff will be halved immediately upon implementation.
- Long-term Reduction: Tariffs will further decrease to 40% over the next seven years.
- GI Protection: Negotiations are ongoing to secure robust protections for Geographical Indications (GIs), ensuring the integrity and combatting imitator brands of Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream, and Irish Poitín in the Indian market.
International spirits have surged in popularity in India in recent years, particularly among the growing middle class. This has been accelerated by the trend of ‘premiumization’, where consumers favour more premium products – often at a higher price – as their economy grows. With this deal and the UK-India FTA announced last year, Irish Whiskey producers across the island of Ireland are now well-placed to capitalise on this trend, with hopes to surpass the million-case-sale mark in the years to come.
The timing of this deal is critical. Like all EU agri-food exports, Irish Whiskey and other drinks exports must now contend with a 15% tariff when exporting to its biggest market, the USA – a significant departure from the “zero-for-zero” trading arrangement and its 30+ years of tariff-free trade.
The conclusion of this agreement accelerates the move towards market diversification, increasingly important for Irish exporters.
The Irish Whiskey Association would like to commend the work of the European Commission and the Irish government for their leadership in negotiating this deal and looks forward to its full implementation.
Commenting on the EU-India deal from Brussels today, Director of the Irish Whiskey Association, Eoin Ó Catháin, noted:
“Today’s announcement is a vote of confidence in the EU’s trade agenda, in the quality of our agri-food exports and in premium products such as Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream and Irish Poitín. While we have seen incredible success in India to date, this is only the beginning.
India is the 4th largest economy globally, the most populous country in the world, and the biggest whiskey market to boot. This deal, when fully implemented, will bring a much-needed boost for our shared economies and will positively impact on communities from Mumbai to Midleton, ó Dehli go dtí an Daingean.
I welcome the progress made today and will work with all stakeholders to ensure a swift and successful implementation.”
