By Anthony Boadle- Reuters
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's President
Michel Temer is weighing whether to support a proposal for a joint
commercial aviation company between Boeing Co and Brazilian aircraft
maker Embraer , a presidential spokesman said on Tuesday.
The
Brazilian government has opposed an outright takeover of Embraer by
Boeing and a new proposal involves creating a third company that
includes Embraer's passenger plane unit, the world's top maker of
regional jets, while excluding its defense unit. Temer must ultimately
approve any deal.
"Nothing has been decided on the partnership between the two companies," Temer's top spokesman Marcio de Freitas told Reuters.
"The Defense Ministry received the proposal and sent it to the
president, but it still has to be studied and there are still some
doubts about the matter," he added, without providing further details.
Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said this month the company
has been working on a deal for years, but added it was not essential.
Boeing spokesman Phil Musser reaffirmed that stance in an email on
Tuesday, calling a combination with Embraer "a win-win for all."
Embraer, the world's third-largest planemaker, said in a securities
filing that no details of the talks have been set in stone, which was
echoed by Temer's office.
Questions remain about each company's stake, however.
Brazilian business newspaper Valor, citing sources close to Temer,
reported Embraer would take a substantial 49 percent of the new company.
But people familiar with the negotiations told Reuters Boeing would
only agree to a joint venture in which it held 80 percent to 90 percent
of the company and had full operational control.
The potential
deal has snagged on concerns in Brasilia that Washington would get final
say over Brazilian defense programs and use of technology developed in
the country, including satellite and air-traffic control systems.
The Brazilian government holds a "golden share" in Embraer giving it
veto power over strategic decisions involving military programs and any
change in controlling interest.
Boeing has worked to overcome
the Brazilian military's objections with alternatives that would
preserve the government's strategic veto rights and ensure safeguards
for its defense programs, sources have told Reuters.
The
partnership would give Boeing a leading share of the 70- to 130-seat
market and create stiffer competition for the CSeries program designed
by Canada's Bombardier Inc and run by European rival Airbus SE since
last year.
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle in Brasilia, Additional
reporting by Gram Slattery and Brad Brooks in Sao Paulo, and Tim Hepher
in Paris; Editing by Ben Klayman)
http://www.businessinsider.com/r-brazil-president-weighing-boeing-embraer-joint-venture-spokesman-2018-2