Kroes achter staatssteun nieuwe Franse helikopter (en)

The European Commission, acting under the state aid rules of the EC Treaty, has approved a €100 million R&D support measure proposed by the French authorities for Eurocopter, a subsidiary of EADS. It is a cash advance to be reimbursed if the project is commercially successful. The aim of the project is to develop a new medium-size helicopter known as EC175 under a Franco-Chinese cooperation scheme. The Commission considers that the project complies with the criteria of the Community Framework for state aid for research and development and can therefore be declared compatible with the EC Treaty (Article 87).

Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes i stated: "I am happy to be able to approve an aid project which promotes research in a leading-edge technology sector".

The project for developing a new medium-size (6 to 8 tonnes) civilian helicopter will cover the period 2006 - 2011. The EC175 will be developed and built by Eurocopter, a firm wholly owned by EADS, jointly with Chinese partners. It will include a number of innovations offering better environmental performances and enhanced safety. The EC175 will also be able to fly in more difficult weather conditions than today's helicopters. Delivery is not scheduled to begin before 2011.

State support would cover 29% of Eurocopter's research and development expenditure. Public-sector involvement would aim to reduce the technological risk and encourage the firm to undertake more extensive and more ambitious research. Eurocopter would increase its ratio of research and development expenditure in relation to turnover by 2 points.

The public support would be awarded under the French research and development scheme for the aeronautics sector first approved by the Commission in 1996 (see IP/96/665). The planned aid for Eurocopter was examined by the Commission as it exceeded the individual notification thresholds laid down by the Community Framework for state aid for research and development.