Murray Slams Airbus’ “Illegal Tricks”

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the Senate’s leading critic of illegal European government subsidies to Airbus, today voiced her opposition to reports that the parent company EADS may seek further government loans to bail out its faltering A350.

“That Airbus is now talking about increasing launch aid for the A350 is not surprising. Airbus has been breaking the rules for years – and their illegal tricks have cost America jobs,” Senator Murray said. “Thirty years of direct subsidies have bought market parity for Europe. Airbus continues to choose confrontation rather than come to terms with its status as a mature global competitor.”

The A350 was designed to be a direct competitor to Boeing’s 787 “Dreamliner,” but has been outsold 3-1. As a result, EADs Co-Chief Executive Noel Forgeard today announced, “If there is a solution soon, then we could think about alternative financing. But in the other event, we may consider applying for government loans.”

“The 787 will redefine aviation and the marketplace is already rewarding American workers with three times more orders than Airbus. Our workers made sacrifices to design a plane that customers wanted while the Europeans had subsidies and unfair advantages,” Murray said. “I will continue to work with the Administration and my colleagues in Congress to level the playing field, call a subsidy and subsidy and make Europe play by the rules.”

In April of 2005, Senator Murray helped pass a resolution that called on European governments to reject launch aid for Airbus and support the President’s authority to take any action necessary to protect American aerospace jobs. The Senate passed the resolution by a vote of 96-0.

Murray, along with her colleagues Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Harry Reid (D-NV) and Bill Frist (R-TN) introduced the resolution based on the need to level the playing field for fair global aerospace competition. Despite Airbus’ status as the current leading manufacturer of large civil aircraft with more than fifty percent of the market share, the company continues to receive market distorting subsidies and engage in unfair trade practices which are undermining the U.S. aerospace industry and American jobs.