Antigua and Barbuda representatives received the Deputy
United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador John Veroneau yesterday
after the deadline to resolve their online gambling dispute expired. Veroneau arrived in Antigua
today as part of a delegation sent to the Caribbean
Island to conduct talks with Antiguan
Minister of Finance Dr. Errol Cort regarding the WTO decision passed against
the U.S.
for damages done to Antgiua by blocking its online casino industry from the U.S
market.
A deadline,
which was extended twice, was again set for July 11th for the
deferral of the case at the WTO, however, the deadline is over and both
countries show no signs of coming to an agreement. The online gaming disagreement
has been lingering since March 2003 when Antigua
and Barbuda filled a case in the World Trade Organization
(WTO) claiming that the US
government was taking a series of measures to repress and ban its online
gambling industry. The WTO case set a precedent which was followed by other
countries also affected by the UIGEA, including Canada,
Japan and Costa Rica.
Antigua first won the ruling, but a number of appeals filed by the
U.S have kept the American government from making the necessary adjustments
requested by the WTO. Antigua reacted and
requested the WTO permission to ignore U.S patent and copyright laws, which
would allow them to legally pirate material protected by the U.S copyright
legislation.
Antigua’s Minister
of Finance Dr. Errol Cort said that he’s not sure yet if the two countries will
get to a final resolution on the online gambling issue, still, he sees Veroneau’s
visit as a good and probably final chance to close the gambling chapter once
and for all.
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