WTO says US government subsidies to Boeing are ‘illegal state aid’

Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade welcomes the WTO Panel report published on Thursday which found that about US$ 9 billion in US Federal and State subsidies granted to Boeing are illegal under WTO rules. This landmark ruling has confirmed the EU’s position on all of its main claims, notably that between 1989 and 2006 the US Federal and State governments granted WTO incompatible subsidies to Boeing amounting to at least US$ 5.3 billion. Planned future subsidies are estimated to be worth between US$3 to 4 billion.