Airbus wants the World Trade Organization (WTO) to quickly put an end to the American import tarrifs on aircraft built by the European aircraft manufacturer. The tarrifs were increased to 15 percent in 2020 due to alleged illegal government support for the A350 program.
According to Airbus, new agreements have been made regarding the funding of the A350 program by France and Spain, which means that all WTO requirements are now met. Therefore, there would no longer be any legal ground for the US import tarrifs.
There has been a fierce battle between the European and American aviation sector for years. Airbus and Boeing regularly make allegations against each other over alleged subsidies, whereby the WTO must always act as an arbitrator.
America is an important market for Airbus, which also has a factory in Mobile, Alabama. Aircraft built in the US Airbus factory do not have to be imported and are therefore exempt from the import tarrifs. The aircraft manufacturer can count among its customers American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.