The World Trade Organization (WTO) confirmed on Tuesday that it had issued its final ruling on the U. S.-EU dispute over alleged illegal subsidies provided to the latter's aviation giant Airbus, Xinhua reported.
In a brief statement, the WTO said the expert panel responsible for the Airbus case had issued its final report to the two concerned parties, but the contents of the report remained confidential.
According to some trade sources, the WTO ruling backed parts of the U.S. allegations that European governments had unfairly subsidized Airbus. Airbus said, however, that some 70 percent of the U.S. claims had been rejected.
Both sides can appeal the case.
The United States first brought the case to the WTO in 2004, alleging that the EU had provided billions of Euros in various forms of subsidies to Airbus, including so-called "launch aid" to its A380 and other major aircraft models, which violated WTO regulations.
In the same year, the EU also brought a case against Airbus' American rival, Boeing, alleging that the U.S. government had funded the company illegally.
The WTO's ruling on the Boeing case are expected to be issued later this year.