"We deplore the fact that there are still tariffs on Spanish products," Gonzalez Laya told Reuters in an interview two days after Washington said it would keep 15% tariffs on Airbus aircraft and 25% tariffs on other European goods despite moves to resolve a dispute over aircraft subsidies.

As the aviation sector faces crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic, "the useful thing would be to discuss a framework to regulate the support countries give to their aviation sectors, not to do ourselves more damage with retaliatory measures," she said.

(Reporting by Isla Binnie; Editing by Frances Kerry)