![Douglas Ross MP at distillery](/sites/www.douglasross.org.uk/files/styles/gallery_large/public/2018-06/AC7B2798-75E5-44B3-8359-638FB4C73FDD.jpeg?itok=QzlcAo4r)
Moray MP Douglas Ross has commented after the EU introduced retaliatory tariffs on a range of US goods, in response to the US introducing tariffs on European aluminium and steel exports back in March. One of the products targeted by the EU today is bourbon whiskey.
Scottish Conservative Douglas, whose Moray constituency contains 40 per cent of all Scotch whisky distilleries, earlier this month wrote to the European Commission on behalf of the Scottish Conservative MP Group, asking it not to include whiskey in the list of products targeted. Mr Ross is concerned that the US may retaliate against European whisky exports, of which Scotch whisky is a major part. More than 40,000 jobs are supported by the Scotch whisky industry across the UK, with 7,000 in rural Scotland alone.
Commenting, Douglas said: "It is extremely disappointing to see the European Commission moving ahead with retaliatory tariffs against bourbon.
"While I completely appreciate that the the EU has a need to protect itself against harsh tariffs introduced by the US, this situation cannot be allowed to develop into a full blown trade war, at the expense of one of Scotland's finest industries.
"We will wait and see what the US response will be, but I hope that the UK Government, Scottish Government, and European Commission will do all they can to protect Scotch whisky from any further retaliations. The industry is too important to be dragged down by a trade war between Europe and America, not only for my constituents in Moray, but for the whole United Kingdom."