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29th Mar 2024

Bundestag gives green light to Airbus

  • Seven European nations are obliged to buy 180 military transport aircraft for 20 billion euro in total. (Photo: EUobserver)

The German government is finally able to give its formal Yes to the European project of building military transport aircraft A400 M. The budget committee of the German parliament, Bundestag, voted in favour of the plan on Wednesday, 21 May.

The decision was expected already last autumn, but was postponed due to general elections (22 September 2002).

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German media quote the German Defence minister Peter Struck saying that all fractions in the Bundestag had voted in favour of the A400 M.

Seven European countries involved in the project will now be able to sign a formal agreement on 27 May, according to Mr Struck. The seven countries are Great Britain, France, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Turkey and Germany.

According to the plan, these seven nations are obliged to buy 180 military transport aircraft for 20 billion euro in total.

Germany will order 60 planes and therefore will be the biggest investor of the project that will cost Berlin approximately 8.3 billion euro. The first planes should be ready by 2010.

Germany to postpone Airbus decision

Germany might postpone the final decision on buying 73 A400M military transport aircraft until after the September 22 elections while France is planning a big increase in defence spending over the coming years.

Opinion

EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania

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