European governments urged the European Union on Monday to complain to the World Trade Organisation for delaying a decision on whether Boeing has benefiting from illegal subsidies, arguing that it has put Airbus at a competitive disadvantage. The complaints voiced by Britain, France and Spain at the Farnborough Airshow suggest that the Europeans are increasingly impatient with the world trade body, which last month said Airbus benefited from illegal subsidies.
A report due on Boeing this month was delayed until September _ and the European governments argue that it unfairly stigmatizes their efforts, particularly as world aircraft orders pick up. In a press conference on the sidelines of the Farnborough International Airshow, French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau said that the EU should formerly protest the delay ``as quickly as possible.''''
Britain''s Business Minister Mark Prisk said he expected the EU to make a complaint, but the European Commission has not given a timeframe. It is unclear what impact such a complaint could have on the trade body. Prisk said the report on Boeing subsidies has to be examined together with the already published WTO report on Airbus subsidies if the EU and the US are to resolve the issue _ and the delay means they are getting further apart. The three ministers including Spain''s Teresa Santero, who had earlier met with Germany''s Peter Hintze, confirmed that they intend to go ahead with the funding for the A350 aircraft program despite the WTO ruling against Airbus.
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