Brussels, 09/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - John Clancy, the spokesman for Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said, on Thursday 8 July, that the Commission was “disappointed” by the delay until mid-September of the WTO (World Trade Organisation) interim panel report on the EU complaint against public aid provided by the United States to aircraft constructor Boeing (DS 354), which the WTO dispute settlement body (DSB) was due to deliver by mid-July. “The time lag between this case, and the United States' case against support to Airbus (DS 316) has constantly increased over the six years this dispute has been running (Ed: the US and European complaints were lodged in 2004 and 2005 respectively) and the gap is now at nearly a year. It creates the wrong impression that Airbus has received some WTO incompatible support, whereas Boeing has not. At the moment we only have half the story,” Clancy said in a press release. “The European Commission remains confident as to the strength of the EU's legal challenge. We are, however, very concerned that these delays decrease the chance for a negotiated settlement, which is - as publicly stated by both sides - the desired outcome to this dispute,” he added, calling on the WTO to avoid any further delay. Last week the final ruling by the DSB panel on the US complaint against government support for Airbus went somewhat against the EU (see EUROPE 10172).
EADS responds to call for tender to supply of tanker aircraft to US Air Force
The European aeronautical group EADS announced on Thursday 8 July that its subsidiary EADS North America had responded to a call for tender to supply the US Air Force with 179 tanker aircraft, a contract worth $40 billion. In 2008, EADS, with its American ally Northrop Grumman, won the contract to supply these tanker aircraft but the contract was annulled following an appeal by Boeing to the US Congress. EADS subsequent withdrawal from the race provoked an outcry in Europe (see EUROPE 10094). (E.H./transl.rt)