Question 3227 — defense

Summary

Mr. Jean-Luc Mélenchon draws the attention of the Minister of the Economy and Finance to the safeguarding of strategic interests in the Airbus company. Recently we learned in Airbus' half-year results press release that the American justice system had opened a corruption investigation into the European group. This follows investigations opened by the British Serious Fraud Office and the French National Financial Prosecutor's Office. All these Investigations have been opened since the start of an internal audit of which the French and German states, which are the main shareholders of Airbus, were not notified. The choice of service providers chosen by Airbus managers to conduct this audit is problematic. Indeed, these are the American law firm Hubbard and Reed and the American economic intelligence company Forensic Risk Alliance. These two companies have access to all the group's files on its customers, contracts, etc. They are under a legal obligation to transmit to the American Department of Justice all information that could concern its jurisdiction. This vulnerability of Airbus' sensitive information to the interests of the United States was further reinforced in June 2017 since the company chose to enlist the services of the processing company of Palantir data, whose funding comes from the CIA investment fund, In-Q-Tel. Airbus is a company whose control is of strategic importance to the national interest. Its positive weight in the trade balance is very significant. It produces not only civil aircraft but also military carriers. The recent delay in the delivery of the A400M is also forcing the armies to resort to rental of American equipment for sending troops. It is in the context of safeguarding sovereignty that we can be concerned about the progressive infiltration of American interests into Airbus. Threats from the United States played a key role in the sale of French industrial flagships Alcatel, Technip and Alstom to American companies. The French State is the largest shareholder of the Airbus group since it holds 11.11% of the capital. As such, he would like to ask what measures are taken by the French State to ensure the safeguarding of strategic interests in Airbus.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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