UK lures Eurocopter with major deal

Last week the French and British press suggested that Eurocopter, a subsidiary of European aerospace corporation EADS, could shift its activities from Romania to the UK. The helicopter manufacturing and support company, one of the world's largest, could in this way secure a major British contract worth over 300 million pounds. That would mean bad news for Romania, writes the daily Jurnalul National: "Eurocopter entered into a joint venture with [state aeronautics company] IAR Ghimbav in 2002. The company had promised Romania much, including the construction of a factory in Braşov for the twin-engine civil helicopter EC135 and planned sales of more than 100 million euros by 2005. In truth sales amounted to just 26 million in 2009. ... In the meantime the best specialists have left ... and jobs have been cut back. If it meant doing a deal with the UK Eurocopter could put off its plans with Romania even longer."

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