Portugal's cork won a rare Trump tariff exemption thanks to lobbying on both sides of the Atlantic

RIO FRIO, Portugal (AP) — U.S. winemakers have something to celebrate: the corks they’re popping aren’t subject to tariffs.

Cork comes from the spongy bark of the cork oak tree, which is primarily grown and harvested in the Mediterranean basin. The framework trade agreement between the United States and the European Union singled out the material as an “unavailable natural product.”

So as of Sept. 1, cork joined a handful of other items, including airplanes and generic pharmaceuticals, that are exempt from a 15% U.S. tariff on most EU products.

The cork carve-out was vital for Portugal. The European country is the world’s largest cork producer, accounting for about half of global production.

Portuguese diplomats lobbied for the exemption on both sides of the Atlantic. Patrick Spencer,