Antigua to go ahead with US IP rights suspension
A governmental committee in Antigua and Barbuda has said it is continuing its plans to suspend US intellectual property (IP) rights.
The government said in a statement that its ‘WTO Remedies Implementation Committee’ (RIC) is close to establishing a method for managing the suspension.
It says the committee, which was formed on July 17, is recommending a statutory body to own, manage and operate the “ultimate platform” for the “monetisation or other exploitation” of the suspension of US IP rights.
It adds that the necessary domestic legislation to implement the remedies is in the "final stages" of preparation for submission to parliament.
The plan to suspend IP rights dates back to a dispute between the two countries over gambling rules.
Antigua has been demanding compensation from the US since it banned cross-border gambling in 2003.
The ban, which includes sites based in the Caribbean, had an impact on Antigua’s lucrative online gambling industry.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled the embargo violated trade agreements and gave Antigua permission to suspend its US IP obligations, including copyright on films and music.
In a statement, Antigua’s prime minister, the hon. Baldwin Spencer expressed his satisfaction with the committee’s work, adding that the US’s continued “failure to negotiate” a reasonable settlement meant the WTO’s decision was of “important international responsibility.”
"I am pleased that the committee continues working with expedience, meeting as scheduled and focusing on its mandate to utilise the WTO remedies in a responsible and proper manner,” Spencer said.
“This will give Antigua & Barbuda a tangible benefit for our years of perseverance on this matter.”
The RIC is chaired by Antiguan Attorney General Mr Justin Simon QC and also includes Colin Murdoch, ambassador at large and permanent secretary in the Department of Trade, Industry and Commerce, and Mark Mendel of the legal counsel for Antigua.
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