Provence sends French 谤辞蝉茅 to Trump after tax threat
The French region of Provence has sent crates of local 谤辞蝉茅 wine to American President Donald Trump, after the latter threatened to increase import taxes on French wine to the USA.
Renaud Muselier, president of the Provence-Alpes-C么te d'Azur region - which Mr Muselier called 鈥渢he leading region鈥� of 谤辞蝉茅 wine production in France - to Washington in response to Mr Trump鈥檚 threats.
President Trump had previously threatened to raise import taxes on French wine, in 鈥渞eciprocal action鈥� to France's planned taxation of global digital giants under the so-called GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon) tax.
, Mr Trump - who reportedly does not drink alcohol himself - called the digital tax 鈥淢acron鈥檚 foolishness鈥� and added: 鈥淚鈥檝e always said American wine is better than French wine!鈥�.
But this week, Mr Muselier : 鈥淧resident Trump, drink our 谤辞蝉茅, don鈥檛 tax it!鈥�.
He added: 鈥淏y threatening to overtax French 谤辞蝉茅 wine, [Mr Trump] is committing a serious error. He is threatening an exceptional economic sector, and is attacking the French 鈥�art de vivre鈥�.鈥�
Following Mr Trump鈥檚 tweet in July, French economy and finance minister Bruno Le Maire responded, saying: 鈥淯niversal taxes on digital activities is a challenge that concerns all of us鈥�, and said that France had 鈥渢otal determination鈥� over the tax.
Mr Le Maire added that the tax was not 鈥渁imed [only] at American companies鈥� and would apply to all digital companies with turnover on their online business of at least 鈧�750 million worldwide and 鈧�25 million in France - whatever their original nationality.
