EU Examines US Automaker Bailout For World Trade Organization Legality

Part of being a global player. The US created a lot of these rules, so they shouldn't violate them.

Calm down TheSailor, I really don't think that Europe is following the route that you speak of. EU is simply going to investigate this deal for fairness and not to keep Darwin accurate. I believe however, that what it is shameful is The Big Three for not seeing this coming a decade ago and not producing a quality product that would satisfy the market.

If the European Commission does find this deal unfair for putting those automakers [that tried and got it right] at a disadvantage, then I would have to agree 100%. I know that it might sound a bit harsh but the reality is that no matter how big the bail out is the only solution to this problem is for The Big Three to go way back to the drawing board and fix their non-financial problem, which they created.

Agent009: The US created a lot of these rules and is often the only one following them.

If the "big 3" fail, their assets will be sold dirt cheap to foreign car companies who will use these assets to manufacture cars in North America. The unions will have to become more competitive.

In any event, manufacturing plants of the future will be highly robotized and will require very few workers. The cost will be in capital equipment. America will lead the way in the intellectual capital that will make this happen.

We are in a transition between labor-intensive manufacturing and full automation that will eventually lead to a substantial reduction in the work week and abundance for all. The only fly in the ointment is an excessive human population that the planet cannot support. Population planning rather than war is the answer to population control.

i would totally support US Automaker Bailout IF those high school degree UAW workers at GM, Ford or Chrysler make less than 140k a year.

Is France part of the EU. I would have thought so.I thought they had an ownership role in Pugeot and Citroen or was it Renault. I know they were majority owner in one of those companies. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Britian own BL at one point. What about "Volkswagen's Law" allowing the province of Lower Saxony to own a percentage of VW to prevent a majority take over by a hostile company.(Although this is finally changing it appears). My point is Euro governments have stepped in to help struggeling automakers in Europe in the past. So for them to cry foul or to suggest that loaning money to an automaker is a violation of the EU is total BS. Did they protest when the government bailed out Chrysler originally? I personally think the US should tell the EU and WTO to shove it!

Correction-It's the Lower State of Saxony I believe.

Well sailor mate if the US has to choose between capitulating with the WTO and letting 4 million American workers be unemployed I firmly believe that they will side with the American worker regardles of what the EU and WTO think. Now that Obama is coming into office and we finally have a Democratically controlled congress I believe that American worker protectionism may become a reality.It is also my understanding that not only France but many other Euro countries at one point or another had governments owning a piece of some auto makers.And your right we are not the ultimate super power but we still are "a super power". If that means going back to the foreign tariffs of the early 80's before Regan took office so be it.

No matter how you all see this, the bailout money for Big 3, whatever the amount and assuming is not in violation of WTO, will NEVER be repaid to the lender. Simply because each of the big 3 are loosing billions a month. How long will the money last and up to how much? Bailout is not the solution.