EU backs Rolls in £500m engine row

13 April 2012

FOR once, the European Union has has weighed in heavily to help a British company. It is backing Rolls-Royce in its effort to wrest a £500m Taiwanese aeroplane engine order from US rival General Electric.

The European Commission is demanding that Taiwan provides an official explanation of why GE's bid was preferred, and is threatening a 'major impact' on relations with the south-east Asian country unless the decision is reversed.

Brussels suspects the contract process was politicised. Spokesman Michael Mann said: 'We are putting a bit of pressure on. We are not certain that the decision was taken purely on commercial grounds.'

The EU is also threatening to take the matter to the World Trade Organisation.

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