The US, the WTO Dispute, and UIGEA
In one of the newer developments concerning the adverse ruling the Unites States received from the World Trade Organization in it’s dispute with Antigua and Barbuda over online gaming the United States has decided to withdraw from one of it’s WTO commitments “We did not intend and do not intend to have gambling as part of our services agreement. What we are doing is just clarifying our commitments” said Deputy US trade representative John K Veroneau.
This despite the fact that ten years ago there was extensive debate, proposals and counterproposals from all WTO members concerning what commitments would be made. To make such a statement is the equivalent of saying I thought I was in school, I wasn’t paying attention. More than a dozen countries specifically excluded gambling from their commitments and the Unites States was not one of these countries. As Antigua’s Minister for Finance and the Economy said “It is almost incomprehensible that the United States would take such an action in the face of an adverse ruling. This is going to have severe consequences for the global free trade movement”.
Since the original treaties were negotiated multilaterally the United States will have to renegotiate with the 149 other countries that object to the US position and who now want to renegotiate their commitments with the United States. For the United States to say they made a mistake is a blatant falsehood. The US had competent negotiators at the original treaty negotiations, they knew what they were doing, and to say otherwise damages the credibility of the US in future negotiations of any kind. This kind of decision undermines faith in a carefully negotiated system that depends on the perception that all members, large and small, rich and poor, have rights, obligations and responsibilities to be taken seriously.
This move on the part of the United States could have serious unintended consequences. Both Antigua and Barbuda have proposed suspending enforcement of US intellectual property rights. This could lead to massive bootlegging of movie DVD’s and music CD’s. Both countries have determined that this last ditch measure is the only way to gain the attention of the United States. Just as internet gaming is the second largest industry in both countries, after tourism, the entertainment industry in the US produces hundreds of billions of dollars in revenues and losing even a part of that income is a serious matter.
In the words of John Ashe the Antiguan ambassador to the World Trade Organization, “We believe the time has come for the United States to demonstrate whether the WTO agreements are to work for us all equally, or whether the WTO is indeed a one way street for the large economies to enrich themselves at the expense of lesser ones.” It is time for the US to stop moralizing and live up to the agreements set forth in treaties the government ratifies.
About the Author
Anthony Wayne works in the marketing department of online bingo site BingoHouse in Costa Rica. He is also editor of the Internet Bingo Blog a great source of internet bingo information.
John Wayne’s Pledge
|
|
John Wayne Magnets, Set of Four Magnets feature a glossy photo finish and a full magnetic backing. Each magnet measures 2″ by 3″. They are perfect for hanging on any metal surface…. |
|
|
Hondo (Full Screen) $2.98 Although scarcely seen in its original 3-D, and entirely out of sight for a decade and a half after its producer-star died, Hondo has maintained a high rep among John Wayne fans–and it wasn’t even directed by Howard Hawks or John Ford. (Actually, Ford did shoot some second-unit stuff while visiting Wayne on location.) Half-breed Hondo, companioned only by an antisocial dog, tends to be more sympa… |
|
|
Scarface (1983) $2.99 … |
|
|
The Reef $2.65 The story of a young fish who suffers a great loss and moves to a new town where he falls in love with a beautiful fish and angers the resident shark bully, The Reef (initially known as Shark Bait) is a beautifully computer animated film with striking similarities to Finding Nemo and Shark Tale. The first Hollywood feature-length, all computer generated film ever made in Korea, The Reef won the Fi… |
|
|
Farscape $9.99 … |
|
|
Toy Story 2 (Four-Disc Combo: Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy) $21.00 Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 11/01/2011 Run time: 102 minutes Rating: G… |
|
|
The Rescuers Down Under (A Walt Disney Classic) [VHS] $4.98 No, this isn’t a quickie, direct-to-video sequel, cashing in on the success of the 1977 animated hit about adventurous mice, but a full-blown theatrical effort. This time around, Bernard (voiced by Bob Newhart) is trying to pop the question to Bianca (Eva Gabor) when they’re summoned to Australia, where a young boy has been kidnapped by a pallid, gray-faced poacher (who looks like and is voi… |
|
|
ESPN Films 30 for 30 Gift Set Collection, Volume 1 $28.89 In celebration of the ESPN® 30th anniversary, ESPN® Films presents 30 for 30, a critically acclaimed series of films from some of today’s finest directors. From Barry Levinson and Peter Berg to Steve James and Ice Cube, each filmmaker brings their perspective to an extraordinary sports story from the last 30 years. This 6-disc DVD gift set includes the first 15 films from the series as well as o… |
|
|
O Brother, Where Art Thou? $6.06 Only Joel and Ethan Coen, the fraternal director and producer team behind art-house hits such as The Big Lebowski and Fargo and masters of quirky and ultra-stylish genre subversion, would dare nick the plot line of Homer’s Odyssey for a comic picaresque saga about three cons on the run in 1930s Mississippi. Our wandering hero in this case is one Ulysses Everett McGill, a slick-tongued wise guy… |
|
|
ESPN Films 30 for 30 Gift Set Collection, Volume 2 $29.39 ESPN Films 30 for 30, Volume 2, includes the final 15 films in ESPN Films’ award-winning series which The Los Angeles Times calls âsome of the best films of 2010.â Featuring Academy Award nominated directors John Singleton, Ron Shelton and Academy Award winner Barbara Kopple, among others, these critically-acclaimed films continue to provide a fresh take at some of the most extraordinary… |