Airbus or highlighting the absence of any oversight of European industrial policy
(B2) Airbus will have to manage, Europe does not intend to intervene in the life of the company
The conclusion is clear and unambiguous. Speaking before the European Parliament, both the representative of the German Presidency, the State Secretary for Aeronautics, Peter Hintze, and the European Commissioner for Industry, Günter Verheugen, referred certain problems of Airbus (delays of delivery, weakness of the dollar, technological changes, increased competitiveness) on the company. Curiously nothing moreover on the failures of the management of the company.
In the "restructuring process" and search for partners in progress, "this is, despite the interest of politicians, the business of the company" affirmed Peter Hintze. “Politicians cannot and should not intervene in companies… to restore competitiveness" added Günter Verheugen, specifying only the "moral duty to help laid-off workers" with credits from the European Social Fund.
This apparent neutrality did not prevent the commissioner (theoretically a German social democrat), from putting forward the necessary solutions: "invest", "innovate", "outsource" or even relocate. This last word is not pronounced but widely suggested, pointing the finger at the problem of “selling in dollars while the company produces in euros”.
The company is therefore praised for its successes, its full order book, which contribute to "European identity". But when it comes to setbacks and failure, the European institutions actually prefer to leave business, social partners and individual member states to fend for themselves. In doing so, there is a singular withdrawal from the community spirit, preferring to "nationalize" the file than to "Europeanize" it.
When we know the strategic importance of the company for European industry, the atypical character in the composition of its shareholding and the strong symbol that it represents in the eyes of Europeans, we can be pensive in the face of this withdrawal. Withdrawal all the more curious as "American interventionism" for Boeing is undeniable and places the European aircraft manufacturer in a double weak position compared to its competitor.
(NGV)
NB: Curiously, these interventions were not the subject of any echo on the websites of the German presidency of the Union or of the European Commission, which are usually so quick to post their declarations. Only the European Parliament produced a detailed report. Read the report made by Parliament
