France Pushes for EU Tariffs on US Goods as Part of Airbus-Boeing Trade Dispute

By Olivia Bugault

French finance minister Bruno Le Maire said Friday that Europe should respond to U.S. sanctions by imposing tariffs on U.S. goods, a move that follows a World Trade Organization ruling regarding jet subsidies received by Airbus SE and Boeing Co.

"Europe must get ready to impose sanctions to the U.S. because it is its right," Mr. Le Maire said on French TV station BFM TV.

The WTO said earlier this week that the European Union may impose tariffs on $3.99 billion of Boeing aircraft and other U.S. goods annually as part of a long-running trade spat between the European plane maker and its U.S. rival.

The news comes roughly one year after the trade body issued a similar ruling in favor of the U.S., which decided to impose tariffs on $7.5 billion in E.U. goods, including Airbus jets.

Write to Olivia Bugault at [e-mail]

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October 16, 2020 05:06 ET (09:06 GMT)

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