The European Commission recently announced that it closed its antitrust investigation into Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp., the leading supplier of turboprop aircraft engines in the European Economic Area, after the company agreed to amend contractual clauses that had potentially restricted competition from independent spare parts suppliers. The inquiry had centered on concerns that Pratt & Whitney may have been foreclosing access to critical inputs and certification services needed by used serviceable material (“USM”) suppliers. According to the Commission, these suppliers rely on used engine cores to replenish their stock of spare parts for engine repair and maintenance and also require access to certification services to determine whether spare parts can safely be reused. The Commission suspected that provisions in Pratt & Whitney’s contracts limited the ability of maintenance shops in its network to sell used engine cores or provide certification services to independent suppliers.
According to the Commission, Pratt & Whitney removed the restrictive provisions from its agreements and added clauses to clarify that maintenance shops are not prevented from purchasing USM from other suppliers, changes that the company also publicly announced on its website. After conducting a thorough analysis of the evidence and the contractual amendments, the Commission determined that its concerns had been addressed and decided to close the inquiry.
European Commission Daily News – August 21, 2026