By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Five nations and the European Union, as well as airlines and aerospace firms worldwide, urged the Trump administration not to impose new national security tariffs on imported commercial planes and parts, according to documents released on Tuesday.
Airlines and planemakers have been lobbying President Donald Trump to restore the tariff-free regime under the 1979 Civil Aircraft Agreement that has resulted in an annual trade surplus of $75 billion for the U.S. industry.
Separately, U.S. planemaker Boeing cited a recent trade deal unveiled in May with Britain that ensures tariff-free treatment for airplanes and parts.
“The United States should ensure duty-free treatment for commercial aircraft and their parts in any negotiated trade agreement, similar to its efforts with the United Kingdom,” Boeing told the U.S. Commerce Department in a filing.
It was one of the documents, made public on Tuesday, that expressed the concerns of companies as well as nations such as Canada, China, Japan, Mexico and Switzerland, in addition to the European Union, over the fallout of possible new tariffs.
Mexico said in 2024 it exported $1.45 billion in aircraft parts, just a tenth of the total, to the United States. The EU said it took U.S. exports of aircraft worth roughly $12 billion, while exporting about $8 billion of aircraft to the U.S.
In early May, the commerce department launched a “Section 232” national security investigation into imports of commercial aircraft, jet engines and parts that could form the basis for even higher tariffs on such imports.
“No country or region should attempt to support the development of its domestic aircraft manufacturing industry by suppressing foreign competitors,” the Chinese government wrote.
Trump has already imposed tariffs of 10% on nearly all airplane and parts imports.
“As reliable trading partners, the European Union and United States should strengthen their trade regarding aircraft and aircraft parts, rather than hinder it by imposing trade restrictions,” the EU wrote.
It would consider its options “to ensure a level playing field,” it added.
Last week, Delta Air Lines and major trade groups warned of tariffs’ impact on ticket prices, aviation safety and supply chains.
“Current U.S. tariffs on aviation are putting domestic production of commercial aircraft at risk,” Airbus Americas CEO Robin Hayes said in comments filed with the commerce department.
“It is not realistic or sensible today to create a 100% domestic supply chain in any country.”
Boeing said it had been increasing U.S. content in its airplanes over the last decade and its newest airplanes, the 737 MAX 10 and 777X, would have “more than 88% domestically-sourced
content.”
The United Auto Workers union, which represents 10,000 aerospace workers, said it supports tariffs and domestic production quotas, adding that U.S. aerospace employment has fallen to 510,000 in 2024 from 850,000 in 1990.
“To safeguard the entire aerospace supply chain across the commercial and defense sectors, comprehensive tariffs and production quotas on several products are needed,” it said.
JetBlue Airways opposed new tariffs, however, saying, “Trade policy should reinforce, not destabilize, the proven systems that keep our aircraft flying safely and affordably.”
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Clarence Fernandez)
