WTO delays decision on EU counter-tariffs in aircraft dispute: sources

PARIS (Reuters) – The World Trade Organization has delayed a decision on whether the European Union can impose tariffs against the United States over subsidies for Boeing , due to the impact that recent lockdowns are having on its work, three people familiar with the case said.

Two of the people said the decision, originally expected in May or June, had been pushed back to at least September due to the coronavirus crisis. A third said the decision was expected as late as October, weeks before U.S. elections.

The United States said earlier it was weighing its own existing tariffs on European goods in a parallel case over subsidies for Europe’s Airbus . Together the twin cases make up the world’s largest corporate trade dispute.

The WTO declined comment.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)