During the general assembly of the aircraft manufacturer, Guillaume Faury recalled that it was up to importers to pay customs duties and exposed the immense complexity on his trade war industry launched by the American president.
It is up to customers who import planes to pay the additional cost linked to customs duties imposed by Donald Trump, the boss of Airbus Guillaume Faury said on Tuesday at the group’s general assembly.
“Customs duties must be suffered by the matter. When we export from Europe, from Hamburg or Toulouse, they must be paid by our customers,” said Guillaume Faury.
“Obviously, they do not like to be in this situation, so we see with them how to manage the situation. There are many potential ways and ideas” to alleviate their impact, but it is first necessary to understand “the nature and evolution of these customs rights, it is not the same thing if you have 20%, 10% or zero,” he added.
“Reorganize our flows”
Donald Trump’s customs surcharge amounts to 10% for all countries of the world, and could rise to 20% at the end of the 90-day suspension period announced by the American president, which would weigh on the Airbus imported in the United States.
The European aircraft manufacturer is for its part “exposed” to customs duties when it imports for the activities of its American factory in Mobile, Alabama, said Guillaume Faury.
He also recalled that the prospects for 2025 announced in February did not take into account new customs duties, suggesting that there could be changes.
“We currently assess this complexity to understand what is affected, then examine the potential attenuations, reorganize our flows, which we deliver, to whom and when,” he said.
Uncertainties related to commercial conflicts weigh on a globalized supply chain and already have an impact on the aeronautical sector.
“There are 3 million pieces per plane, planes and goods circulate on both sides of the Atlantic and with other countries,” said Guillaume Faury.
China blocks the Boeing
The boss of Delta Airlines Ed Bastian had said last week that he did not intend to pay customs duties on the Airbus from which he awaits delivery this year.
According to Bloomberg, China has ordered its airlines to suspend any reception of Boeing aircraft due to customs duties, but also “to stop any purchase of equipment and spare parts for planes from American companies”.
The director general of Ryanair, the first airline in Europe in number of passengers, threatened on Tuesday to delay the receptions of aircraft ordered in Boeing if they were to cost more expensive.
