WTO ruling likely to support EU case against Boeing

World Trade Organisation is reportedly likely to rule in favour of the European Union's case that Boeing received some illegal subsidies - primarily tax breaks, export rebates and research aid - from US federal and state governments (Wall Street Journal, 14-Sep-2010). The European case against Boeing alleges that the company received approximately USD24 billion in illegal subsidies between 1989 and 2004 from the US Department of Defence, NASA and in tax breaks from the states of Kansas, Washington and Illinois. The confidential ruling is expected to be released this week, but the public report will not be released until mid-2011.