June 12 (Reuters) - FedEx ( FDX ) is planning to cut

between 1,700 and 2,000 back-office jobs in Europe, it said in a

filing on Wednesday, as the parcel delivery company struggles

with weak freight demand.

The cuts will be carried over an 18-month period, the

company said, adding that it was expecting a pre-tax cost of

$250 million to $375 million related to legal fees and severance

benefits.

FedEx ( FDX ) expects the job cuts to help save between $125

million and $175 million on an annualized basis beginning in

fiscal 2027.

With freight demand still soft and margin improvement

still slow in the air-based Express unit, its largest segment,

the company has embarked on a cost cutting drive.

The Memphis-based firm is on track to cut $4 billion in

permanent costs by the end of its 2025 financial year.

(Reporting by Ananta Agarwal in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil

D'Silva)