WTO body formally OKs US sanctions against EU in Airbus case

The United States has been given the go-ahead to impose trade sanctions on up to $7.5 billion worth of European Union goods following a ruling that European plane maker Airbus received illegal subsidies.

That approval came from the World Trade Organization.

The move by the trade body's dispute settlement body was largely a formality after the long-awaited Oct. 2 ruling by a WTO arbitration panel.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

For that ruling to be blocked, every country including the United States that attended the settlement body's meeting Monday would have had to reject it.

The record $7.5 billion ruling found that the European bloc and member states Britain, France, Germany and Spain failed to remove improper subsidies for Airbus that hindered sales by U.S. rival Boeing.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

The Trump administration plans to impose the sanctions starting Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.