MARK PILLING
Using the occasion of Farnborough to obtain an update of the Airbus programmes, the ministers of civil aerospace from France, Germany, Spain and UK reaffirmed their support for the company.
UK Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt, speaking on behalf of the four, said on Monday that although it is a "very difficult time for the aerospace industry", they are "particularly pleased" with the way the management of Airbus had coped and continued to invest during the crisis.
She said Airbus president Noel Forgeard, in his report to the ministers, called or a significant increase in government research and technology spending.
The ministers – alongside Hewitt was Dr Alfred Tacke, state secretary in the German ministry of economics and technology; Gilles de Robien, French minister of transport; and Ramon Marimom, Spain's secretary of state for science and technology policy – did not discuss specific sums but did commit to seeking more effective co-ordination in national projects to get more out at a European level.
Answering questions about the German commitment to the Airbus Military A400M project, Tacke said his government agrees on the need for the aircraft, but that parliamentary approval is required. "It will be agreed in due time," he said.
Source: Flight Daily News
