As expected, the Dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) formally authorised the European Union on Monday 26 October to adopt retaliatory tariff measures amounting to €3.4 billion ($4 billion) against the United States in the Airbus/Boeing dispute (see EUROPE 12580/10).
These measures will take the form of customs duties on imports into the EU of Boeing aircraft and other US consumer products, with the European list drawn up in April 2019 (see EUROPE 12238/1) serving as a model.
“The European Commission is preparing the countermeasures, in close consultation with our Member States. As I have made clear all along, our preferred outcome is a negotiated settlement with the US”, said Executive Vice-President for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis, noting regular contact with his US counterpart, Robert Lighthizer. “In the absence of a negotiated solution, the EU will be ready to act in line with the WTO ruling”, he added.
Retaliation is expected to apply on a deferred basis, at least after the US presidential elections, and until the US complies by completely renouncing its illegal aid. 8 November has been mentioned as a date. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)