EU, USA agree Airbus, Boeing aid talks
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Yesterday's announcement rules out any short-term government funding for the new Airbus A350, which the four-nation plane maker plans to build to compete with the 7E7. Noel Forgeard, the Airbus chief executive, said he intends to apply for up to €1bn in refundable launch aid.
But it does make one wonder: if the A350 cannot get launch aid, will that dampen Airbus's enthusiasm for it?
There's a related article here
It was a piece of naked electioneering when President George Bush carted the EU off to the World Trade Organisation last autumn in protest at the huge dollops of taxpayers' cash given to the Airbus programme. But just because he's now safely back in the White House doesn't mean he's about to relax his position.
But bringing about an end to subsidies on both sides when Boeing receives so much non-refundable back-door aid through the likes of Nasa and the Pentagon has proved elusive.
--ev--