The European Commission has approved Boeing’s $4.7 billion re-acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, on the condition that Spirit’s Airbus-related activities are divested to neutral owners, principally Airbus and that specific sites are sold, addressing competition concerns over Boeing controlling parts of Airbus’s supply chain. Brussels issued the green light on October 14, 2025, after accepting a remedies package that includes carving out Airbus work packages and selling Spirit’s Subang (Malaysia) plant to CTRM, alongside other divestments such as work in Prestwick (Scotland) and portions of Belfast (Northern Ireland) tied to Airbus programs.
The decision keeps Airbus’s A320/A350/A220 structures outside Boeing’s control while allowing Boeing to re-integrate key 737 and 787 fuselage work to stabilize quality and deliveries. The deal still requires U.S. approval before closing.
Industry agreements announced earlier in the year paved the way: Airbus signed definitive terms to take over Spirit assets serving its programs (e.g., A350 fuselage sections in Kinston/St-Nazaire and A220 wings in Belfast). These arrangements align with the EU’s approved carve-outs.
Sources: The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Air Data News
Images: The Seattle Times, Forbes
