bottles of wine inside a box

In 2024, the EU exported €29.8 billion worth of alcoholic beverages, indicating a 10.9% increase since 2019 (€26.9 billion). 

Exports were dominated by wine of fresh grapes, including fortified wines, representing 56.2% (€16.8 billion) of all alcoholic beverages. Spirits and liqueurs up the second biggest category, with 29.7% of the total (€8.9 billion), followed by beer, with 11.5% (€3.4 billion); cider, perry, mead, saké, and other fermented beverages, with 1.7% (€0.5 billion); and vermouth and other wines flavoured with plants or aromatics, with 1.0% (€0.3 billion). 

France was by far the main EU exporter of alcoholic beverages to countries outside the EU in 2024, totalling €12.1 billion, representing 41% of the total. This country exported mostly wine (66.7% or €8.1 billion) and spirits and liqueurs (31.8% or €3.8 billion). 

Italy followed in the 2nd place, with €6.0 billion (20% of the total EU exports to countries outside the EU), most of which (81.1% or €4.9 billion) was related to the export of wine. Spain and the Netherlands exported €2.5 billion and €2.3 billion (each 8%), respectively, but while the most significant category for Spain was wine (€1.6 billion), for the Netherlands it was beer (€1.3 billion). 

Main exporters of alcoholic beverages to countries outside the EU, 2024 (% of total alcoholic beverages exports, € billion). Pie chart. Link to full dataset below.

Source dataset: ds-045409

Main export destinations: the United States and the United Kingdom

In 2024, the United States was the main destination for EU alcoholic beverages, with exports totalling €8.9 billion (30% of the total). More than half of this value, €4.9 billion, is related to export of wine and another €2.9 billion to spirits and liqueurs.

The United Kingdom was the second biggest trade partner, with €4.9 billion (17% of the total), mostly connected to wine exports (68% or €3.3 billion). This country was followed by China and Canada (each €1.6 billion) and Switzerland (1.4 billion). While exports of alcoholic beverages to Canada and Switzerland were mostly wine, the main export category to China was spirits and liqueurs, with €0.7 billion (45%), followed by wine (€0.5 billion, 34%).

Export destinations of EU alcoholic beverages, 2024 (% of total alcoholic beverages exports, € billion)

Source dataset: ds-045409

For more information

Methodological notes

  • This article uses harmonised system (HS) codes: 
    • 2203: Beer made from malt
    • 2204: Wine of fresh grapes, including fortified wines; grape must, partly fermented and of an actual alcoholic strength of >0.5% volume or grape must with added alcohol of an actual alcoholic strength of >0.5% volume
    • 2205: Vermouth and other wine of fresh grapes, flavoured with plants or aromatic substances
    • 2206: Cider, perry, mead, saké and other fermented beverages and mixtures of fermented beverages and non-alcoholic beverages, not elsewhere specified (excluding beer, wine or fresh grapes, grape must, vermouth and other wine of fresh grapes flavoured with plants or aromatic substances)
    • 2208: Undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength of <80%; spirits, liqueurs and other spirituous beverages (excluding compound alcoholic preparations of a kind used for the manufacture of beverages)
  • All data in this article refer to exports to countries outside the EU.

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