The Ministers responsible for the civil aerospace industry in Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom held their regular meeting at the Berlin Air Show ILA on Tuesday, 20 May 2014.
The meeting was chaired by Brigitte Zypries, German Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Government Coordinator of German Aerospace Policy. Also present were Michael Fallon, British Minister of State for Business and Energy, Frédéric Cuvillier, French Minister for Transports, Sea and Fisheries; and Begoña Cristeto, Spanish Secretary General for Industry and SME's. The industry was represented by Fabrice Brégier, CEO of Airbus, and Günter Butschek, Airbus Chief Operating Officer.
Civil aerospace is a strategic sector for all four of the Airbus Governments, and for European manufacturing industry. The Ministers were therefore pleased to hear of Airbus' continuing success. Since the last ministerial meeting, Airbus had announced their most successful year in the company's history with record orders, deliveries and backlog. With interest they followed the reports on the status and progress of the Airbus programmes. They acknowledged the positive development of the latest Airbus programmes, the A320 NEO and A350 XWB.
The Ministers noted that Airbus continues its internationalisation strategy with the latest agreement to prolong its final assembly line in Tianjin, China, until 2025. The Asian market is predicted to be the fastest growing market within the next 20 years. Ministers acknowledged that this decision will offer a potential opportunity for growth in each of the member states' aerospace supply chains into Airbus.
Ministers also discussed the two WTO cases concerning support given by European and US Governments to Airbus and Boeing. Ministers noted Airbus' views and shared their concern on the potential implications for the European aerospace industry, after the US State of Washington has extended major tax breaks which are linked to Boeing's B777X programme. They expressed the expectation that the legality of these subsidies will be reviewed by the Panel in the ongoing WTO procedures.
The meeting was chaired by Brigitte Zypries, German Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Government Coordinator of German Aerospace Policy. Also present were Michael Fallon, British Minister of State for Business and Energy, Frédéric Cuvillier, French Minister for Transports, Sea and Fisheries; and Begoña Cristeto, Spanish Secretary General for Industry and SME's. The industry was represented by Fabrice Brégier, CEO of Airbus, and Günter Butschek, Airbus Chief Operating Officer.
Civil aerospace is a strategic sector for all four of the Airbus Governments, and for European manufacturing industry. The Ministers were therefore pleased to hear of Airbus' continuing success. Since the last ministerial meeting, Airbus had announced their most successful year in the company's history with record orders, deliveries and backlog. With interest they followed the reports on the status and progress of the Airbus programmes. They acknowledged the positive development of the latest Airbus programmes, the A320 NEO and A350 XWB.
The Ministers noted that Airbus continues its internationalisation strategy with the latest agreement to prolong its final assembly line in Tianjin, China, until 2025. The Asian market is predicted to be the fastest growing market within the next 20 years. Ministers acknowledged that this decision will offer a potential opportunity for growth in each of the member states' aerospace supply chains into Airbus.
Ministers also discussed the two WTO cases concerning support given by European and US Governments to Airbus and Boeing. Ministers noted Airbus' views and shared their concern on the potential implications for the European aerospace industry, after the US State of Washington has extended major tax breaks which are linked to Boeing's B777X programme. They expressed the expectation that the legality of these subsidies will be reviewed by the Panel in the ongoing WTO procedures.
