US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has warned the European Union that a record €3 billion ($3.4 billion) European Investment Bank loan to Airbus could undermine the transatlantic truce covering trade and financing for large civil aircraft. Washington has received no details of the financing despite repeated requests, raising questions over whether the package was agreed on commercial terms.
The EIB approved the financing earlier this year and announced it on 29 June. Airbus has signed an initial €1 billion tranche from the wider commitment, described by the bank as its largest corporate financing package. The funds are intended to support research and development in France, Germany and Spain across commercial aviation, defence and space activities, with investments planned through 2030.
The US is examining whether the loan constitutes government support that could breach the agreement governing large civil aircraft financing. Boeing asked Washington in July to seek transparency over the arrangement. Airbus and the EIB have characterised the financing as a normal, interest-bearing corporate loan available on market terms.
Greer urged the EU to resolve the issue quickly, but did not announce tariffs, sanctions or an end to the truce. The United States and EU suspended related tariffs in 2021 after a 17-year World Trade Organization dispute, and extended the tariff pause in July 2026. The available information does not establish that Airbus breached the agreement or disclose the loan’s detailed commercial terms.