Post by jdaddy on Dec 14, 2007 16:19:27 GMT -4
[WTO] Ruling in Internet gambling case delayed
by Reuters
A World Trade Organization decision on the amount of retaliation that Antigua and Barbuda can impose on the United States in an Internet gambling trade dispute will not come out on Friday as expected, a U.S. trade official said.
"We understand the report has been delayed," said Gretchen Hamel, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative's office.
The tiny Caribbean nation has been in a long-running fight to offer its Internet gambling services in the United States. The case is being closely watched by European Internet gambling companies, which were pushed out of the U.S. market by Congress last year.
In an April 2005 victory for Antigua, the WTO said a U.S. law allowing only domestic companies to provide online horse-race gambling services discriminated against foreign firms.
Antigua, which built an online gambling industry to replace declining tourism revenues, has asked permission to impose $3.44 billion a year worth of "cross-retaliation" on the United States.
It wants the WTO's authorization to suspend copyright protections on American movies, music and software so its domestic manufacturers can export those products to the United States and potentially other markets.
The United States says Antigua is entitled to only $500,000 in damages in the dispute.
Mark Mendel, a private attorney representing Antigua, said he was told the WTO was putting the final touches on the report, which also needs to be translated.
by Reuters
A World Trade Organization decision on the amount of retaliation that Antigua and Barbuda can impose on the United States in an Internet gambling trade dispute will not come out on Friday as expected, a U.S. trade official said.
"We understand the report has been delayed," said Gretchen Hamel, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative's office.
The tiny Caribbean nation has been in a long-running fight to offer its Internet gambling services in the United States. The case is being closely watched by European Internet gambling companies, which were pushed out of the U.S. market by Congress last year.
In an April 2005 victory for Antigua, the WTO said a U.S. law allowing only domestic companies to provide online horse-race gambling services discriminated against foreign firms.
Antigua, which built an online gambling industry to replace declining tourism revenues, has asked permission to impose $3.44 billion a year worth of "cross-retaliation" on the United States.
It wants the WTO's authorization to suspend copyright protections on American movies, music and software so its domestic manufacturers can export those products to the United States and potentially other markets.
The United States says Antigua is entitled to only $500,000 in damages in the dispute.
Mark Mendel, a private attorney representing Antigua, said he was told the WTO was putting the final touches on the report, which also needs to be translated.