|
United States Uses WTO Article to Defend its Stance |
|
|
|
|
In the ongoing dispute between the Caribbean island of Antigua and Barbuda and the United States over online gambling, the latter has cited Article 21 of the World Trade Organization to defend its stand on the issue. The article of the WTO’s General Agreement on Trade and Services states that parties should enter into negotiations if a conflict arises over rights and claims. The United States is thus using this article to declare that it would be willing to negotiate with the countries that have filed claims for compensation over what they see as the United States’ flagrant disregard of WTO policies. Antigua and Barbuda was the first country to lay a complaint against the United States due to the fact that it would not allow the island to provide online gambling services to US players, despite the fact that these same services were being provided by domestic operators. After the WTO ruled in the island’s favor, Antigua and Barbuda laid a $7-billion compensation claim, with more countries such as Costa Rica, Canada and Australia following suit. US trade officials are hopeful that negotiations, under Article 21, will help resolve this issue soon.
|
