Wine leads the export of alcoholic beverages from the European Union. In 2024, wine shipments (including fortified wines) accounted for €16.8 billion, representing 56.2 per cent of the total. These were followed by spirits and liqueurs (€8.9 billion) with a 29.7% share, beer (€3.4 billion) with 11.5%, the group of beverages including cider, perry and other fermented drinks (€0.5 billion) with a 1.7% share, and lastly vermouth and other flavoured wines (€0.3 billion). Compared to pre-pandemic figures, the data released by Eurostat on Monday 28 April shows a 10.9% increase, bringing the total value of EU-made alcoholic beverage exports to €29.8 billion.
Top exporter rankings
France remains by far the EU’s leading exporter of alcoholic beverages, accounting for €12.1 billion in turnover—41% of the European total. This consists mainly of wine, totalling €8.1 billion (66.7% of French exports), followed by spirits and liqueurs at €3.8 billion (31.8%). Next in line is Italy, in second place, with €6 billion in alcoholic beverage exports to non-EU markets, accounting for 20% of the EU total. Of Italy’s exports, 81.1% is wine, totalling €4.9 billion (noting that Italy’s total wine exports exceeded €8 billion in 2024). Spain and the Netherlands hold third and fourth places respectively, each representing 8% with €2.5 and €2.3 billion in exports. For Spain, this is mostly wine (€1.6 billion), while the Netherlands’ top export outside the EU is beer (€1.3 billion). In fifth and sixth positions are Germany (€1.6 billion) and Ireland (€1.5 billion).
Dependence on the United States
The United States, which—pending institutional negotiations between Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen—currently applies an additional 10% duty on European beverages, accounts for 30% of the EU’s alcoholic beverage export value, totalling €8.9 billion, with more than half (€4.9 billion) represented by wine. The United Kingdom is the second-largest destination for EU-made beverages, with €4.9 billion in 2024, equal to a 17% share, mostly wine (68%, or €3.3 billion). With €1.6 billion each, China and Canada are also key trade partners, alongside Switzerland (€1.4 billion). While China mainly imports spirits and liqueurs, Canada and Switzerland are primarily buyers of EU wine.
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