RAINER UPHOFF / MADRID
Following political pressure from Spain to increase the role of the country's industry within EADS, co-chief executives Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich last week visited Madrid for talks with Ignacio Ruiz-Jarobo, the president of Spanish state holding company and 5.6% EADS-shareholder SEPI (Flight International, 18-24 November).
EADS Casa officials say the parties are in "advanced negotiations towards a deeper co-operation in the future", while Camus and Hertrich say in a joint statement: "The fruitful relationship we have developed over the last three years deserves to be reassessed on a new basis. We have had very constructive conversations with our Spanish colleagues."
SEPI's Ruiz-Jarobo adds: "We are clearly perceiving a huge potential for achieving additional benefits for the Spanish industry as well as for EADS."
While no firm new commitments have been announced, Camus and Hertrich add some details. They say Spain would retain its "leadership in carbonfibre structures", although there will be "no exclusivity for Spain for this technology within Europe". They also put a dampener on Spain's hope to acquire Airbus A330 tanker conversion work.
Source: Flight International
