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The
French authorities on Thursday opened a preliminary
investigation into suspected irregularities over the use of
third-party agents to win contracts, expanding a UK corruption
probe.
"This is the result of us self-reporting on observations made on
irregularities with respect to business partners," Enders said
at a new pilot training center in India, adding that the
discovery of the irregularities was not a new development.
"Not surprisingly they have decided to launch an investigation,"
he said of the French decision.
He said uncovering the irregularities showed "very intensive
company investigations" in line with Airbus's compliance codes.
Britain's Serious Fraud Office launched an investigation in
August after the planemaker uncovered evidence of false
declarations over the use of agents in applying for UK export
credits and reported its findings to the British authorities.
Shares in Europe's largest aerospace company fell around one
percent, in a slightly stronger French market.
The decision by French and British investigators to cooperate is
unusual. It could test a 2016 anti-graft law which introduces in
France the possibility of a "deferred prosecution agreement," a
type of settlement often favored in corruption probes and
already used by Britain's SFO.
Britain last year suspended the issue of export credits to
Airbus, and France and Germany immediately followed suit,
forcing Airbus to provide financing itself to some airlines in
order to maintain aircraft deliveries.
The system remains suspended but Airbus has suggested export
support may return on a case-by-case basis later this year.
(Reporting by Aditi Shah; Writing by Tim Hepher; Editing by
Edmund Blair)
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