EU, U.S. Urge Talks in Airbus-Boeing Case

European Union Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick said that more talks were needed to avoid a legal confrontation in a subsidy row between Airbus and Boeing.

The United States filed a World Trade Organization case in October challenging European loans to help Airbus develop aircraft, such as its new A380 super jumbo jet.

The EU responded by filing its own case against the U.S. government over Boeing.

U.S. trade officials have said Washington would this month pass up a first opportunity to ask the WTO to hear its complaint against European subsidies for Airbus. The EU has also said it would delay asking for a WTO panel to hear its case against Boeing.