The World Trade Organization ruled Friday that Antigua can violate copyright protections on U.S. movies and music up to $21 million.
The ruling of the WTO, sitting in Paris, was part a dispute between Caribbean island nation and the United States over online gambling. The award comes after a WTO ruling that Washington wrongly blocked online gaming operators in Antigua from the U.S. market while allowing online horserace wagering, The New York Times reported.
The award was small compared to $3.44 billion a year Antigua and Barbuda claimed in damages. In contract, the United States claimed it caused $500,000 damage to the Antiguan economy.
The ruling grants a rare form of compensation -- the right of one country to violate intellectual property laws of another by allowing it to distribute copies of American music, movie and software products.
"That has only been done once before and is, I believe, a very potent weapon," said Mark Mendel, a lawyer representing Antigua. "I hope that the United States government will now see the wisdom in reaching some accommodation with Antigua over this dispute." |
