0932 GMT - Europe's distillers need stable trading relationships with big export markets, even if newer markets are growing, a trade association says. Exports of European spirits like cognac, vodka, gin and whisky fell by 6% in value in 2025 compared with a year prior, according to a report from SpiritsEurope. Trade with the U.S. and China, the sector's most important buyers, were hit by tariffs and weak macroeconomics, the association notes. Growing markets like India and some African countries meanwhile gained in share. SpiritsEurope trade director Pauline Bastidon calls on EU authorities to maintain stable trading relationships with established partners and pull down trade barriers. "At the same time, we need to open new opportunities through ambitious trade agreements, trade diplomacy and promotion, while recognizing that new markets cannot replace traditional growth engines overnight," Bastidon says.