WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today made the following remarks after a briefing by the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, on the confidential interim findings of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on a case alleging unfair supports to U.S. commercial aviation industry.

 “Despite the claims by critics, the U.S. and the Boeing Company have prevailed on a majority of the findings,” Senator Roberts said. “Attempts to compare this interim decision with the final ruling against the EU is like comparing apples to oranges, and in this case, their orange is a lot bigger than our apple.

 “As details of the findings become public, we can draw an accurate comparison between the billions in illegal launch aid provided by the EU to Airbus and the alleged supports by the U.S. to the Boeing Company.”

 In March, the WTO found much of the EU’s launch aid to be illegal and trade distorting placing the U.S. aviation industry at a competitive disadvantage.

 Senator Roberts is a member of the Senate Committee on Finance which has jurisdiction on trade matters.

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