An Airbus A330 on display at the Paris Air Show on June 17, 2019. - Chine Nouvelle / Sipa

  • Friday, the United States announced that the air taxes imposed on Airbus planes imported from Europe, would be raised from 10 to 15%.
  • For the European aircraft manufacturer, this decision will further increase trade tensions on both sides of the Atlantic.

The answer did not drag. On Friday, the United States announced that it would raise the air taxes imposed on Airbus planes imported from Europe by 10% to 15%. This punitive measure, which is to take effect on March 18, is in addition to the customs tariffs already imposed on 7.5 billion dollars of European products last October. This Saturday, the European aeronautical group said it "deeply" regretted this increase and estimated that it only "increases trade tensions between Europe and the United States".

"The US move creates more instability for US airlines already suffering from a shortage of aircraft," Airbus said in a statement. "She also ignores the comments of American companies who emphasized that they would be the ones who would ultimately pay these tariffs. "

Airbus deeply regrets USTR's decision to increase tariffs on aircraft imported from the EU as well as the decision to maintain tariffs on goods from other sectors. Read our statement: https://t.co/4TifzudduE

- Airbus PRESS (@AirbusPRESS) February 15, 2020

Originally, Washington had taken this action in retaliation against the subsidies received by the European aircraft manufacturer, deemed undue by the World Trade Organization (WTO). Other products, such as wine, cheese, coffee and olives, have been taxed at 25% since that date.

The US Mobile factory not concerned

If the taxes imposed on the European aircraft manufacturer apply to finished aircraft delivered to the United States, they do not concern parts sent to its American factory in Mobile (Alabama), where Airbus produces a few aircraft per month.

In October, Delta Air Lines, a US company customer of Airbus, deplored these sanctions, believing that the tariffs would cause "serious damage to American airlines, to the millions of Americans they employ and to travelers".

"Airbus will continue to interact with its American customers and work with them to mitigate as much as possible the effects of these increases," added the aircraft manufacturer in its press release, adding "to hope that the position of the United States Treasury will evolve, particularly when the WTO will authorize the EU to impose taxes on Boeing aircraft in turn. ”

A 15-year-old trade dispute

The conflict between the two commercial powers has lasted for 15 years and concerns the subsidies granted to their respective aircraft manufacturers. If the WTO has already authorized the United States to apply reprisals, a similar decision is expected for the European Union in the spring.

"We mustn't be too moved by this, the planes that we sell in the United States are practically all manufactured on American soil, we have quite bypassed the devastating effect that it could have had otherwise," said AFP a representative of FO, the first union at Airbus.

Economy

Airbus: US cuts punitive taxes from 10% to 15%

Economy

Plagued by A400M and fines, Airbus in the red with a net loss of 1.36 billion euros in 2019

  • Customs
  • Tax
  • EU
  • United States
  • Aerospace
  • Airbus
  • Trade
  • Economy