2025-10-14 19:00
publication
2025-10-14 19:00
The European Commission agreed on Tuesday to the takeover of the aircraft structure manufacturer Spirit by the American Boeing, but on the condition that it sells all plants that supply parts to the European Airbus. The American company will also have to sell the factory in Malaysia.
The EC was afraid that the merger would lead to reduced competition in the market for large commercial aircraft. Spirit, also an American company, was part of Boeing until 2005. The company decided to regain the company after 20 years to improve the safety of air transport. The transaction is worth nearly USD 5 billion.
The objections were that Spirit's aircraft structures were used by both Boeing and Airbus.
The EC concluded that after the takeover, Boeing could stop deliveries to Airbus or worsen their conditions, as well as gain access to confidential commercial information of the European concern and use it to its advantage.
The EC's decision, which agreed to the takeover of Spirit by Boeing only conditionally, means that Boeing will have to sell some of the assets of the acquired company to the European Airbus. The American company will sell to a European competitor all factories belonging to Spirit, which currently supply aviation structures to Airbus. Boeing will also have to sell the plant in Malaysia, which currently supplies air structures to Airbus, among others, to the Malaysian company CTRM.
The American station CNN recalled that Spirit had been involved in a series of incidents in recent years, including the famous case of a door falling off an Alaska Air Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane during flight. CNN noted that an initial report showed the plane left the factory with four door screws missing. Boeing's removal of the door cap and screws was related to the rivets, which were made by Spirit.
From Brussels Magdalena Cedro (PAP)
mce/ mal/ osz/
