The unveiling of the first Airbus A380 'superjumbo' plane will mark a resounding success for European co-operation, the European Union's executive arm said today.
'The A380 is a symbol of what Europe can achieve by working together,' EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot said in a statement ahead of tomorrow's rollout of the first of the new planes in Toulouse, France.
'The 'Super-Airbus' demonstrates that working together in the EU pays off,' EU Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen added.
Airbus, the main rival to US aerospace giant Boeing, is a joint venture between companies from Britain, France, Germany and Spain.
It is staking its future on the success of the A380, which can carry up to 840 passengers.
Meanwhile, Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson reaffirmed his satisfaction that the EU and US have agreed to try and settle differences over state subsidies for Boeing and Airbus without involving the World Trade Organisation.
'I am glad that the EU and the US have been able to agree a way forward,' he said. 'The A380 shows that Airbus is clearly capable of competing in a global marketplace,' he added.
