Brussels, 14/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has approved a €100 million research and development support measure proposed by the French authorities for Eurocopter, a subsidiary of EADS, to develop a new Franco-Chinese helicopter. This medium-sized (6-8 tonnes) civilian helicopter, known as EC175, will include a number of innovations offering better environmental performances and enhanced safety. Europcopter and its Chinese partners will construct the helicopter, with first deliveries scheduled for 2011. The French aid will cover 29% of R&D spending. The aim of the aid is to reduce the technological risk and encourage the firm to undertake more extensive and more ambitious research by increasing its ratio of research and development expenditure in relation to turnover by 2%. It is part of the French aid scheme for research and development for the aeronautics sector, first approved by the Commission in 1996.