U.S. continues imports of bulk Mexican tequila

U.S. continues imports of bulk Mexican tequila    U.S. trade officials reached an agreement with Mexico Tuesday to continue receiving imports of bulk Mexican tequila for bottling in the United States.
   In 2003, Mexico considered amending its tequila standards to require its bottling in Mexico. The amendment, in effect, would have banned bulk exports of the liquor.
   “We have resolved this important trade challenge in a way that ensures U.S. bottlers will have continued access to bulk tequila,” said U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman in a Jan. 17 statement.
   If the change in Mexico’s tequila regulations would have gone forwarded, it would have “threatened the huge investments by U.S. companies in building bottling plants and developing brands in the United States,” Portman said.
   Other provisions included in the agreement are:
   * A prohibition on Mexican regulation of tequila labeling or marketing, as well as the labeling, formulation, and marketing of distilled spirits outside Mexico.
   * Creation of a “tequilla bottlers registry” that identifies approved bottlers of tequila.
   * Continuation of current practice with respect to addressing Mexican concerns about manufacturing tequila in the United States.
   * Establishment of a working group to monitor the implementation of the agreement.
   The United States is Mexico’s largest export market for tequila and accounts for 50 percent of the Mexican product. In 2004, the United States imported more than $400 million of Mexican tequila, of which 73 percent was shipped in bulk form.