The US Trade Representative keeps dismissing the EU’s efforts to discuss the gaming situation between the superpowers – the meetings between them were scheduled originally for the end of July, yet they have been given a anew postponement with no apparent justification or an alternative date set.
US Trade Representative Susan Schwab is not likely to receive a Christmas card from EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, whose trip to Washington to discuss gaming issues has already been postponed several times, this last one without even a proposed alternative date.
Ms. Schwab has been notably dismissive of the EU’s complaints of protectionist practices on the part of the US – in June, the EU sent several Washington entities a lengthy questionnaire designed to deal with the Remote Gambling Association’s complaint against the US. Ms. Schwab’s response, sent on behalf of all contacted US authorities, was a mere 2 pages long and said there was “no basis for any allegation of ‘discriminatory enforcement’ of US gambling laws.”
Commissioner Mandelson and his team intended to travel to Washington and hold key meetings to discuss issues of protectionism on both sides of the Atlantic, especially regarding the Remote Gambling Association’s standing complaint of discriminatory practices against EU-based gaming companies post UIGEA.
Some experts suppose that this new postponement may have to do with the USTR being overloaded at the moment, since it still is dealing with Antigua and Barbuda on the gaming issue – Antigua won its case against the US in front of the WTO months ago, but no agreement has been reached yet on a suitable compensation package. Besides gaming issues, The USTR is also facing music from Brazil, which is threatening with legal action over the US’s generous agricultural subsidies after the Doha trade agreement broke down.
All that is known so far is that the meetings between the USTR and the EU Trade Commissioner could take place in Washington this September. We will keep you updated as this develops.
