US imposes yet more tarriffs on NI firm

The US Department of Commerce has again ruled against aerospace firm Bombardier in its dispute with rival Boeing.

Further tariffs of 80pc has been imposed on the import of Bombardier’s C-Series jet to the US for alleged belowcost selling — on top of an earlier 220pc tariff related to subsidies Bombardier got from Canada and the UK.

There have been warnings that the import tariffs could threaten Bombardier jobs in Belfast and also in 15 smaller aerospace firms in Northern Ireland which make components for C-Series wings.

The decision underscored the defensive trade policy of US president Trump, and could effectively halt sales of Bombardier’s new plane to US airlines by quadrupling the cost of the jets imported to the United States.