France upset by WTO delay in Boeing subsidies case
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France ministers on Thursday expressed great disappointment over a delay of the World Trade Organization (WTO)'s decision on unfair US subsidies to aircraft maker Boeing.
The French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde and State Secretary for Transport Dominique Bussereau both said they regretted on the WTO postponement of the verdict, saying it is " detrimental to both European and U.S. aviation industries."
"This new delay puts the two aeronautics parties currently in front of WTO regulation body for the dispute ....under a situation unfair and unbalanced," the two minister said in a joint statement.
On the same day, Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders said: "We are surprised and disappointed by the last minute announcement of yet another delay by the Boeing subsidies panel."
WTO's report was decisive to "create a climate for a negotiated settlement on the basis of fair market rules," "a level playing field and continuous technology investment" for all nations building aviation industries, Enders said.
The European aircraft manufacture added, however, it still held hope to see a confirmation that "Boeing has received billions of dollars in WTO illegal subsidies."
Also on Thursday, the European Commission said it was extremely disappointed at the news in another statement.
The WTO's confidential interim panel report was expected to come out on July 16, but latest news said it would come out "until mid-September at the latest."
The trade disputes between Boeing and Airbus dated back to 2004. Both sides filed rival complaints to the world trade arbitrator, accusing its rival unfairly benefited from billions of dollars government subsidies.
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