European aircraft maker Airbus said on Wednesday it is talking to Brussels about EU-U.S. agreements in the aircraft industry, amid newspaper reports the U.S. had breached accords in Japan.
Earlier, France's Le Figaro daily said Airbus wanted EU authorities to consider taking action against the United States, if it finds that U.S. plane maker Boeing had violated EU-U.S. agreements on civil aviation projects in Japan.
An Airbus spokesman said Airbus was talking to Brussels, but added that any move would be a political choice by the European Union.
"If the result of the consultation is an EU action against the United States, it will be a political decision, not Airbus's," the spokesman added.
Under the terms of bilateral agreements between the U.S. and Europe, direct governmental loans destined for civil aviation projects should not exceed 33 percent of the total investment.
Each side has accused the other of exceeding that ceiling since the accords were signed in 1992.
The latest controversy concerns Boeing's decision to produce its 7E7 Dreamliner in Japan, in partnership with Japanese companies said to benefit from important government loans or subsidies.
No Japanese firm has ordered an Airbus A380, despite Airbus's commercial efforts, while All Nippon Airways has decided to renew its whole fleet with Boeing jets, the paper said.
"We want the EU countries to be aware of what is happening," the paper quoted Airbus chairman Noel Forgeard as saying.
