By Tim Hepher and David Shepardson
FARNBOROUGH, England, July 21 (Reuters) - Boeing has asked the U.S. government to press the European Union for transparency over a €3 billion ($3.43 billion) loan package to Airbus, resurfacing potential trade tensions after the two sides extended a tariff truce over jet subsidies.
The request for the U.S. government to intervene comes as Airbus has been talking about the development of a new plane as early as 2030, potentially kickstarting a new wave of competition
in the global jet market.
Both sides won partial victories in a 17-year battle at the World Trade Organization over mutual claims of aircraft subsidies that led to a wave of Transatlantic tariffs hitting other industries, before agreeing a five-year truce in 2021.
The truce, which was set to expire on July 6, has been extended indefinitely as both sides draw back from a renewed trade war in aerospace.
In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, seen by Reuters, Boeing said it had been surprised by a June 29 announcement from the European Investment Bank, the EU lending arm, committing to its largest ever corporate loan for Airbus.
It asked the USTR to request a "full accounting of the terms of this loan" from the EU and to explain why it was compatible with the 2021 truce agreement, which called for an "open and transparent process".
Boeing noted that the announcement, which included an initial tranche of €1 billion, came just four days after the EU adopted the decision to extend the standstill agreement.
"At a minimum, the timing of this loan is surprising," Boeing said in its letter.
The EIB said it finances thousands of companies every year and denied offering Airbus any unusual support.
"This is a normal loan, carrying interest, part of the EIB's overall financing activity," a spokesperson said.
Airbus and Boeing declined comment.
The USTR and European Commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
($1 = 0.8754 euros)
(Reporting by Tim Hepher, David Shepardson; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
