A new Brexit deal was agreed yesterday by prime minister Boris Johnson and the EU, and now Airbus has responded saying it “remains concerned.” Airbus employs over 13,000 people in the UK involved in aircraft engineering and manufacturing, and 110,000 work in its UK industry supply chain. All 27 EU leaders approved the Brexit deal which was agreed in a settlement between EU negotiators and the UK Government. The deal now needs Parliamentary approval and will voted on this Saturday. Ahead of this key vote, an Airbus spokesperson commented: “We remain concerned by a potential ‘no-deal’ and we continue to plan for that scenario as that is the only way any responsible business can plan. “Airbus continues to run its major Brexit project in order to further eradicate and/or mitigate risks. “We continue to look for further clarity, and the removal of uncertainty, as soon as possible, so that Airbus can properly plan for the future. Read more on Airbus 39,000 aircraft need to be manufactured in next 20 years, Airbus predicts Airbus to bring space propellant tank manufacturing back to UK What does the WTO ruling on Airbus mean for manufacturing? Airbus is a major employer in the UK with turnover in the country of £6 billion, and therefore the shape of the future EU/UK relationship remains of critical importance for the company. The aircraft manufacturer employs 13,500 people at two sites in the UK which produce the wings for Airbus aircraft. Filton in South Gloucestershire is where the engineering and design work takes place along with some manufacturing, and the site in Broughton, Wales is where all wing assembly takes place, and other major wing component manufacturing as well. A new report was recently published by Airbus stating the world’s passenger and freighter aircraft fleet will more than double from today’s 23,000 to almost 48,000 in the next 20 years. Until 2038 the aerospace company predicts a 4.3% annual growth in air traffic, resulting in 39,210 new aircraft needed, with a segment from today’s fleet still remaining. The company has also been caught up in a US-EU trade war recently when the World Trade Organization found both Boeing and Airbus received billions of pounds in illegal subsidies. The US has now announced a 10% tariff on Airbus planes, along with a 25% tariff on French wine, Scotch and Irish whiskies, and cheese from across Europe. Michael Tyrrell Author Michael Tyrrell Digital Coordinator Tags Airbus Aerospace Industry Brexit Share This Article Tweet Share Share Share Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter Related Articles Large-scale 3D printing used for latest Airbus satellites Airbus grows SME engagement in UK with new consortium Airbus delivers close to 560 planes by end of year, insiders say Most recent Articles Updated health and safety guidance for manufacturers Yamawa launches catalogue for needs of the European market XYZ's 1000 LR vertical machining centre in action Share This Article Tweet Share Share Share Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter