(Washington, DC) — Senator Patty Murray today praised the United States Trade Representative’s announcement that the United States will withdraw from a 1992 aerospace agreement with Europe and file a dispute settlement case against the European Union at the World Trade Organization.
“This is the bold action we need to protect our workers and send a strong message to Europe: enough is enough, the time is now to stop the cash advances to Airbus that are killing American jobs. I appreciate Ambassador Zoellick and President Bush’s continued work with me to restore the competitive balance to commercial aircraft trade.
“I am confident in our WTO case. We’ve prepared for this day, we can demonstrate harm to American industry and workers, and it’s long past time that we stand up to Airbus’ massive trade distorting subsidies.
“Airbus and its European backers have been working to undermine Boeing and the U.S. aerospace industry for years. The facts are crystal clear: only Airbus receives billion dollar direct subsidies, and we are prepared to demonstrate that Airbus cash advances have distorted the aircraft marketplace and unfairly damaged U.S. industry and workers.
“Airbus will now have to answer for the real harm it continues to do to the American aerospace industry. Europe can no longer doubt the sincerity of the United States. This is not about American politics. This is about European support that has allowed Airbus to severely harm U.S. workers. I will continue to work closely with the USTR and the President to see this case through to the end.”
BACKGROUND
For months now, Senator Murray has called on Europe to get serious about the subsidy issue. She raised the prospect of a WTO case in a May speech to the Senate and in July called for the United States to withdraw from the 1992 U.S.- EU Agreement on Trade in Large Commercial Aircraft. And just weeks ago, Murray spoke to Boeing’s Global Supplier Conference, calling on the Europeans to stop their false claims and get serious about negotiations in an effort to avoid a trade case.
For a detailed history of Senator Murray’s work and links to all of her speeches, see Aerospace.
English 
Spanish