The tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda seeks compensation from the United States over its illegal restrictions on internet gambling sites based overseas. Antigua has asked other countries to join in seeking compensation from Washington for its failure to comply with global trade rules.
The United States decided against challenging Tuesday's adoption of the the WTO's internet gambling ruling in favor of Antigua because it says that its legal maneuver to remove itself from the 1994 GATS treaty effectively ends the case. Washington, acting like a spoiled little kid that did not get their way, announced the country would take an unprecedented legal step to change the international commitments it made as part of the 1994 GATS treaty regulating the trade in services among the 150 members of the WTO.
Antigua threatened to target American trademarks, copyrights and telecommunications companies after the WTO Tuesday formally adopted a landmark decision in March that the United States' continued restrictions on online gambling were illegal.
"Not only do we think that members should press claims for compensatory adjustments as a matter of economic self-interest, but we also believe it is important that the process is made as difficult as possible for the United States," Ambassador John Ashe of Antigua told the WTO's dispute settlement body Tuesday.
The internet gambling dispute between the United States and Antigua & Barbuda is one of the most complicated issues the WTO has ever handled and could soon spark a series of compensation negotiations between the United States and other trading powers such as the European Union, Brazil & India......
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