Europe cries foul over US defence tender

European countries have accused Washington of foul play after the continent’s largest aerospace and defence company pulled out of a multibillion-dollar race to supply the US ­military, alleging unfair ­competition.

Ministers in the UK, France and Germany, as well as the European Commission, hinted in March 2010 at possible repercussions from the collapse of the $50bn tender to supply the US Air Force with 179 air refuelling tankers.

The Pentagon has said it will extend the deadline for bidding on a major contract for a new US aerial refuelling tanker if it receives formal notification that European aerospace manufacturer EADS intended to make an offer.

On the 31 March 2010 the Pentagon said it would extend the deadline for bidding on a major contract for the refuelling tanker if it received formal notification that European aerospace manufacturer EADS intended to make an offer.

http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/news/all-press-releases.html http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/news/all-press-releases.html

EurActiv, 11.3.10: EU-US relations hurt by French spat over tanker jets http://www.euractiv.com/en/competition/eu-us-relations-hurt-french-spat-over-tanker-jet-news-329673

ESO: Background information: Airbus fears delay to Boeing report http://www.europeansources.info/record/airbus-fears-delay-to-boeing-report/

Spiegel Online International, 9.3.10: EADS Abandons Airbus 'Deal of the Century' http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,682543,00.html

BBC News, 9.3.10: EADS-Northrop tanker contract exit prompts EU fears http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8557769.stm

Deutsche Welle, 9.3.10: EU warns against protectionism in billion dollar Air Force contract http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5333876,00.html

http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/news/all-press-releases.html http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/news/all-press-releases.html

France24, 11.3.10: Pentagon's alleged preference for US bids to have 'consequences' http://www.france24.com/en/20100311-defence-tanker-bids-tender-grumman-boeing-eads-lellouche-contract-aerospace

France24, 12.3.10: Sarkozy and Brown slam US ‘protectionism’ http://www.france24.com/en/20100312-sarkozy-brown-rebuke-us-protectionism-eads-northrop-boeing-refueling-contract

BBC News, 12.3.10: Sarkozy and Brown attack US over 'protectionism' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8563581.stm

Spiegel Online International, 10.3.10: 'Europeans Shouldn't Be Pointing Their Fingers at Washington' http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,682811,00.html

France24, 1.4.10: Pentagon extends tanker plane contract deadline by 60 days http://www.france24.com/en/20100331-pentagon-extends-tanker-plane-contract-deadline-60-days-eads-boeing-aerospace

BBC News, 31.3.10: US offers to extend deadline for refuelling tanker bids http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8598096.stm

Deutsche Welle, 19.3.10: Pentagon may extend deadline to allow for EADS tanker bid http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5368342,00.html

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