WTO-Violating Internet Gambling Enforcement needs to end

Among the topics discussed at this week’s EP/US Congress Inter-parliamentary Meeting of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue in Prague on 17-19 April, 2009 was the dispute between the EU (and other territories) and the United States regarding enforcement activity in the area of Internet Gambling. This follows the announcement on March 26, 2009 of the EU Commissioner for Trade, Lady Ashton, regarding the findings of a year-long investigation into US prosecutorial efforts against WTO-sanctioned commercial activity undertaken by EU companies, banks and others. Despite the US losing a series of decisions on the matter at the WTO, the US authorities have continued to enforce against non-US interests in this sector, including public EU licensed and regulated companies.

Members of the US Congress and of the European Parliament raised and discussed the issues and agreed the need for a speedy solution for the sake of the transatlantic relationship and for the integrity of the systems that govern international trade and justice.

Erika Mann, MEP and spokesperson of the Social Democratic Party in the European Parliament´s Committee on International Trade said, “It is very important that the United States and Europe set a good example in complying with their international obligations, you can only lead by example.” She added, “This case is important regardless of one’s views on gambling or on the jurisdictional challenges of ecommerce - it is simply dangerous to allow a precedent to be set where proven violations can be compounded by retroactive and discriminatory application of criminal enforcement; dangerous for the US, for Europe and indeed for the whole system.”

Colleagues from the US Congress agreed. Representative Steve Cohen, chairman of a House Judiciary sub-committee said, “This is an unnecessary dispute that should be avoided through sensible negotiation. There is no reason for the current US administration to compound policy decisions that were made in the last one and I am very hopeful that there can be a quick resolution to this matter.” His colleague, Representative Shelley Berkley who is co-chairman of the Transatlantic Legislator’s Dialogue and a member of the House Ways and Means sub-committee on Trade added, “the priorities for the world’s two largest trading partners lie in cooperation and a duty to uphold the integrity of the treaties we sign up to and I am very supportive of reaching an equitable settlement soon.” In relation to the wider issues being debated in the US regarding the regulation of Internet gambling, Representative Berkley added, “I noted that the EU Commissioner reiterated that it was a matter for the US as to how it regulates Internet gambling. I for one have campaigned for some time for an approach more like that offered in some European countries – licensed and regulated services that are transparent and protect customers. Maybe this issue can also help the debate on that score too.”

This release has been made jointly by the offices of Erika Mann MEP, Rep. Steve Cohen and Rep. Shelley Berkley. The EU Commission’s announcement referred to above can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/issues/respectrules/tbr/pr260309_en.htm

Erika Mann is available for an interview or to provide more information. Please turn to her office in Brussels: Johanna Hasting, Tel.: +32 (0)2 - 284 51 91, Email: erika.mann@europarl.europa.eu , or the office in Hannover: Henning Hofmann, +49 (0) 511 1674 268, Email europabuero-erika.mann@spd.de