Brussels, 24/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - In a communication sent on 20 October to members of the working group set up by the WTO Dispute Settlement Body to investigate the United States' complaint over subsidies paid to European aeroplane manufacturer Airbus (DS 316), the group's chairman said that there would be no ruling on the dispute before next year because of the complexity and amount of material involved. In July, the chairman of the group set up to investigate EU complaints about state subsidies paid to US aeroplane manufacturer Boeing (DS 353) said, too, that there would be no announcement before 2009. The EU and the US accuse one another of granting illegal subsidies to their respective civil aeronautical sectors. The hearings in their cases took place in July 2007 and January 2008 respectively (see EUROPE 9475 and 9581). (E.H./transl.rt)