EADS Y LOS PAISES PARTICIPANTES EN EL A400M LLEGAN A UN ACUERDO EN REPARTO DE COSTES /Agreement reached on A400M military plane costs

Los países que participan en el A400M han llegado a un acuerdo para repartirse los sobrecostres del desarrollo. El anuncio fue hecho por la ministra de defensa de España, Carme Chacon. El A400M tiene un coste superior a lo proyectado en 5 billones de euros, por problemas de peso y en los motores. Belgica, Francia, Alemania, Luxemburgo, España, Turkia y Reino Unido han pedido 180 A400M en total. Hace seis años Airbus se comprometió a vender los aviones por un precio fijo. Ha habido una división entre los países que quieren un desarrollo rápido del avion (Reino Unido y Francia) y aquellos que prefieren proceder mas lentamente, como Alemania. El A400M, sustituirá a gran parte de la flota de transportes militares existentes en Europa. Su entrada en servicio estaba prevista el año pasado, pero actualmente está previsto que esto no se produzca antes de 2012. El retraso, llevó a Sudáfrica a cancelar su pedido.
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European governments have reached an agreement on sharing the costs of the over-budget A400M military transport plane.Spanish Defence Minister Carme Chacon said that the seven countries involved and the planemaker EADS, owner of Airbus, had reached an agreement. The A400M is 5bn euros ($7.25bn; £4.5bn) over its initial budget as a result of weight and engine problems.The announcement came at a meeting of European Union defence ministers in Majorca. "I am able to tell you with great satisfaction that we have reached an agreement in principle," Mrs Chacon said.
But an EADS spokesman told the BBC that "this doesn't seem like a big breakthrough to me" because of all the details that still need to be agreed. A spokesman for the UK's Ministry of Defence said he expected a joint statement from all involved by Thursday afternoon. "We are waiting for all the partner nations to agree on a single statement" before commenting, he told the BBC.
Airbus chief executive Tom Enders had told the BBC the company would consider ending the programme if European governments failed to provide more money.
Seven countries - Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey and the UK - have ordered 180 A400M aircraft in total between them.
Under contracts signed ahead of the start of the programme six years ago, Airbus has agreed to sell them the planes for a fixed price.
There had been a split between those countries who want the aircraft built and in use quickly - notably the UK and France - and those who would prefer to proceed more slowly to spread the cost, in particular Germany.
The A400M, which is designed to fly troops and equipment, is supposed to replace ageing military cargo carriers in several European air forces.
It had been due to go into service last year, but will not take to the skies until 2012 at the earliest. The delay led to South Africa cancelling an order for eight planes.