Brussels, 02/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - In a Parliamentary question addressed to the European Commission last week, Jérôme Lavrilleux MEP (EPP, France) denounced “the abusive funding” of publicly-owned state companies in countries in the Gulf states. Etihad, Qatar Airways and Emirates are said to have received more than $42 billion over a ten-year period between 2004 and 2014, according to an investigation carried out by US companies American Airlines, Delta and United. Out of concern that the EU would possibly be the “last to wake up” to this problem, Lavrilleux has called on the European Commission to tackle “this obvious proof of unfair competition”. He is suggesting that an investigation is launched into the subject, as well as the setting up of a “special cell to exercise efficient monitoring of cases of unfair competition”. (Jean Comte)