Antigua to Reject Late USA Proposal to End WTO Online Poker-Gambling Dispute
It is anticipated that the Antigua government will reject a proposal for the resolution of the World Trade Organization (WTO) trade dispute over online poker and online gambling that it received from the United States last week, as the proposal “has not been met favorably by the government.”
With no settlement reached by the end of March deadline that the WTO had specified, the Antigua Sun reports it understands that this “essentially restarted the WTO dispute resolution process.”
In January, Antigua and Barbuda filed a notice requesting arbitration by the WTO on the country’s claim for compensation from the US, triggered by America seeking to withdraw from its commitment to provide market access to the Internet gambling sector under the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services that it had signed.
Antigua’s Minister of Finance and the Economy Dr. Errol Cort said he had put a settlement proposal to US Trade Representative Ambassador Susan Schwab when he met with her in January.
Antigua and Barbuda agreed to hold off on arbitration proceedings at the World Trade Organisation until the end of March, allowing time for the proposal to be considered and a counterproposal made.
Antigua did not receive a settlement proposal back from the United States until after the end of March deadline passed.
“Cabinet has deliberated on the matter and decided on a particular course of action.” Dr. Court told the SUN. A statement is expected to be issued from the government of Antigua and Barbuda shortly concerning their decision.
Meanwhile, Antigua and Barbuda’s attorney in the matter, Mark Mendel, told the SUN that this process had automatically restarted at the WTO once the body was not informed at the end of March that the parties had agreed on a settlement.
