Marathon Pundit: Boeing wins WTO trade ruling over Airbus

Boeing--and American workers--are the big winners in a World Trade Organization ruling issued this morning. A WTO panel declared that Airbus and its parent, EADS, received prohibited export subsidies from European Union governments.

It's a big victory for Chicago-based Boeing and thousands of American workers--and of course for advocates of fair and free trade.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative, Ron Kirk, issued a celebatory statement:

"This important victory will benefit American aerospace workers, who have had to endure watching Airbus receive these massive subsidies for more than 40 years. These subsidies have greatly harmed the United States, including causing Boeing to lose sales and market share. Today's ruling helps level the competitive playing field with Airbus," said Ambassador Kirk. "Protecting the rights of American manufacturers, as well as farmers, ranchers, services providers, and workers under our trade agreements continues to be a priority of this Administration. President Obama and I are committed to enforcing our trade agreements and, when necessary, using the dispute settlement process that is consistent with the rules-based global trading system at the World Trade Organization."