World Trade Organization ruled today that the European Union failed to comply with WTO Rules, and continued to breach obligations with massive subsidies to all Airbus aircraft
Murray: “When that treatment puts our own aerospace industry at risk—and along with it, so many good-paying family wage jobs up and down the supply chain— we must fight back on behalf of workers and their families”
(Washington, D.C.) — Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement after the Obama Administration announced that it had achieved an important victory in its World Trade Organization dispute with the EU and four of its member states regarding Airbus subsidies. The WTO panel confirmed today that EU subsidies for Airbus caused billions of dollars in lost revenue to the U.S. aerospace industry. For more than twelve years, Sen. Murray has worked to ensure U.S. companies, including Boeing, were competing on a level-playing field in the global market and applauded today’s news.
“This ruling is so important to my home state of Washington and to all of the workers who show up every day to build world-class products. All they want—and all that we expect—is for U.S. companies to compete on a level playing field. But we’ve known for years that Airbus has gotten one advantage after another.
“Today’s ruling confirms that the European Union has treated Airbus with kid gloves, long after it was a well-established power-house and continued to do so even after their subsidies were deemed illegal. When that treatment puts our own aerospace industry at risk—and along with it, so many good-paying family wage jobs up and down the supply chain— we must fight back on behalf of workers and their families.
“Their livelihoods are at stake, the economy of my home state of Washington is at stake, and the integrity of our international partnerships are at stake. I’m proud we’ve made our case and the ruling is out, but we know this isn’t over. Our message to Europe will continue to be this: No more illegal subsidies to prop up Airbus, or any other company. Airbus must compete in the marketplace just like everyone else. We must be sure our workers and our companies are getting a fair shake and to make sure that our trade deals are being enforced the way we all agreed upon.”
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