U.S. Launches Probe Into Bombardier Jet Sales Pricing
May 18 2017 - 1:48PM
Dow Jones News
By Doug Cameron
U.S. trade officials on Thursday launched an official probe into
whether Canada's Bombardier Inc. sold passenger jets to the U.S. at
unfair prices backed by illegal subsidies, opening a new front in
tensions between the two nations.
The Commerce Department investigation followed a complaint in
April from Boeing Co. alleging Bombardier was "dumping" its new
CSeries jet with customers including Delta Air Lines Inc. in an
effort to win market share, harming the U.S. company and domestic
workers.
The Boeing charge has been widely criticized by many aviation
analysts as plane makers routinely sell initial aircraft at
below-cost prices to win market traction, while Bombardier is
selling a jet with little or no overlap to the U.S. company's own
products.
The Commerce Department announced its investigation during a
hearing about the charges at the International Trade Commission
before Bombardier or Delta had started their testimony, with Boeing
officials still pressing their case.
Bombardier has called for the case to be dismissed and said its
planes don't compete directly with the Boeing aircraft. Canada has
denied it provided Bombardier with illegal subsidies.
The department said its probe will run parallel with the
commission's own investigation, which is due to report by June 12.
If Bombardier is found to have broken U.S. rules, the Commerce
Department said it could start collecting import tariffs this
year.
The move adds to existing trade tensions between the U.S. and
Canada, centered on the lumber and dairy industries.
Boeing filed a petition with the Commerce Department and the ITC
alleging Canadian state subsidies created an unfair competitive
threat to its own 737 Max 7 passenger jets, which are smaller than
the CSeries
Brazil has also lodged a complaint with the World Trade
Organization over Canada's support for Bombardier, which competes
with plane maker Embraer SA.
Boeing wants the U.S. to impose antidumping duties on imports of
Canadian passenger jets. The ITC offers a potentially quicker route
than through the WTO. The U.S. and the European Union have been
embroiled for years in disputes related to subsidies provided to
Boeing and Airbus SE.
Delta last year placed an order for 75 CSeries jets, providing
the program with a marquee customer after years of sluggish sales.
It is due to receive the first planes in the second half of
2018.
Write to Doug Cameron at doug.cameron@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 18, 2017 14:33 ET (18:33 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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