WTO裁定歐盟未消除對空客非法援助
The EU has failed to eliminate billions of dollars in illegal aid to Airbus, according to the World Trade Organisation, handing US rival Boeing one of the biggest triumphs on the global stage in its 12-year battle with the European aircraft maker.
世界貿易組織(WTO)稱，歐盟(EU)未能消除向空客(Airbus)提供的鉅額非法援助，這令其美國競爭對手波音(Boeing)在全球舞臺上收穫了與這家歐洲飛機制造商12年角力的最重大勝利之一。
The WTO also found Airbus’s newest passenger jet, its popular A350 which competes head to head with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, would never have flown without the “direct and indirect effects” of past EU subsidies.
WTO還發現，如果沒有過去歐盟補貼的“直接和間接影響”，空客頗受歡迎的最新客機A350將根本不會飛上天空。這種機型正與波音的787夢幻客機(787 Dreamliner)展開正面競爭。
Washington, which claims the WTO ruling applies to some $22bn in illegal aid, hailed the findings as a “sweeping victory” that would redress years of damage to the US aerospace industry from wrongful European subsidies.
美國聲稱，這項WTO裁決適用於大約220億美元的非法援助，美國稱裁決內容代表着“壓倒性勝利”，將補償美國航空航天業多年來因歐洲非法補貼遭受的損失。
The European Commission insisted parts of the panel’s analysis were flawed and said it was considering an appeal. “We are closely analysing the report,” said an EU spokesman, noting two other WTO rulings are expected in coming months on billions of dollars in US subsidies for Boeing.
歐盟委員會(European Commission)堅稱，WTO小組委員會的部分分析存在缺陷，並表示正考慮上訴。“我們正認真分析這份報告，”一位歐盟發言人表示，他指出預計未來幾個月WTO將圍繞美國對波音的鉅額補貼做出另外兩項裁決。
The row has long been one of the most contentious battles in the global trade system. The dispute reached a head in 2010 and 2011 when the WTO ruled both Boeing — which won government money through contracts for defence and space business — and Airbus — which received aid to launch many aircraft repayable on delivery — had collected billions in unlawful assistance.
長期以來，雙方的爭端一直是全球貿易體系中最具爭議的糾紛之一。雙方的爭端在2010年和2011年達到高潮，當時WTO裁決，波音和空客都收取了數十億美元的非法援助；波音通過軍工和航天業務合約獲得政府資金，而空客獲得援助研發新型飛機，在飛機交付時才償還貸款。
Thursday’s ruling determined the EU failed to comply with the 2011 order to unwind the illegal assistance within six months. If the ruling stands, the US would have the right to impose tariffs on any goods imported from the EU; Washington has threatened levies totalling $10bn.
週四的裁決認定，歐盟未能遵照2011年的命令在6個月內消除非法援助。如果裁決成立，美國將有權對從歐盟進口的任何商品徵收關稅。美國已威脅將徵收總計100億美元的關稅。
The ruling was not a total victory for Washington. The WTO rejected US claims that support from the four countries where Airbus planes are built — France, Germany, the UK and Spain — for the A350 or Airbus’s troubled A380 superjumbo constituted prohibited export subsidies.
這項裁決並非美國的全面勝利。WTO否決了美國的下列指控，即4個空客飛機制造地國家（法國、德國、英國和西班牙）對A350以及空客陷入困境的A380超大客機的支持構成了非法出口補貼。
Still, Michael Froman, the US trade representative, said it vindicated American claims that its aerospace industry had been wrongly harmed by government support for Airbus.
然而，美國貿易代表邁克爾•弗羅曼(Michael Froman)表示，裁決支持美國的指控：美國航空業因空客獲得政府支持而遭受不公正損害。
