European Union should retaliate in Airbus-Boeing dispute: French govt

The European Union should go ahead with retaliatory trade tariffs against the United States if Washington does not withdraw its tariffs in an aircraft subsidies dispute, the French government said on Tuesday.

The World Trade Organization ruled in favour of the European Union on Tuesday, giving the bloc the right to impose tariffs on $4 billion of US goods in retaliation against subsidies to planemaker Boeing.

The ruling is the latest twist in a more than 15-year dispute that has already seen Washington put border duties on EU imports.

“In the absence of a negotiated solution and as long as unjustified American sanctions are maintained, the European Union should exercise its right to sanctions,” French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and Trade Minister Franck Riester said in a joint statement.