WTO to issue Boeing subsidies verdict Sep 15
(BRUSSELS) - The World Trade Organization will issue its long-awaited opinion on Europe's challenge to American subsidies to US aerospace giant Boeing next week, a source close to the matter said Monday.
The interim panel report "will be given to both parties" -- the European Commission and the United States -- on September 15, the source told AFP.
The upcoming report is the latest chapter in a long-running dispute between Boeing and European rival Airbus over multi-billion-dollar government subsidies, with both sides filing rival complaints with the WTO.
The WTO had been expected to issue its opinion on US subsidies to Boeing in July, but it decided to postpone the release.
The delay disappointed the European Union, still smarting from the world trade referee's finding on June 30 that some of the EU's own subsidies to Airbus were illegal.
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, has said the report on US aid was crucial to provide a "complete picture" of the dispute.
Text and Picture Copyright 2010 AFP. All other Copyright 2010 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.