The United States' tariffs on imports from the European Union have sent ripples of concern across the bloc's export-driven economies. 

The EU sells more than $590 billion of goods to the U.S. annually, maintaining a trade surplus of about $180 billion. For small economies like Slovenia, where exports are the backbone of growth, the move is particularly troubling.

In Slovenia's picturesque Brda region, rows of vineyards cover the hillsides. Among them is Movia Winery, a family-run estate producing organic wines for more than two centuries. Nearly all of its production – around 91 percent – is destined for foreign markets.

Owner Aleš Kristančič admits the tariffs are already having an impact. Asked if his exports had been affected, he says "Momentary – yes," before adding that uncertainty remains over how deep the consequences will run. 

Producing between 120,000 and 140,000 bottles of wine annually from 270,000 square meters of vineyards, his business depends almost entirely on international buyers.

"Higher taxes will never bring something positive," Kristančič says. "But we have to do our job, and it is to make wine in a serious way – so that somebody can buy it for a little bit higher price, or lower price."

Slovenia exported goods worth more than $3.5 billion to the U.S. last year. Pharmaceuticals, machinery, and specialty food products topped the list, but wine remains an important niche product that helps sustain rural communities.

For the European Union as a whole, the United States remains its single largest export market. That means any disruption reverberates widely, from small-scale wineries in Slovenia to multinational manufacturers in Germany or France.

For small countries like Slovenia, dependent on foreign markets, the tariffs are more than just numbers on a balance sheet. They ripple through family businesses, regional economies, and the daily choices of consumers on both sides of the Atlantic – while economists warn of broader risks. 

"With tariffs, they are increasing fiscal revenues," said Bojan Ivanc, chief economist at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia. "On the other hand, this will also have a negative effect on inflation. 

"That means inflation will be higher than it should be in the U.S. It is not a problem of money, it's a problem of know-how, intelligence, of technical profiles. And this is not an easy thing to solve for any politician in this world."

As Slovenia weighs the future of its export markets, businesses here are left to hope that access to the United States will remain open rather than increasingly costly.