The WTO’s recent ruling on Antigua’s complaint against the US by the banning of online gambling resulted in a payment to the island nation much less than they asked for. It appears, though, that that payment was just part of the WTO’s compensation package for Antigua/Barbuda. Via Kotaku, the Hollywood Reporter notes that the Caribbean country can now freely disregard US copyright laws - legally. that dispensation is apparently limited to some $21 million a year. “The WTO often takes decisions awarding trade compensation in cases where one nation’s policies are found to break its rules. But that is

only the second date the compensation lets one country violate intellectual property laws. In that case, Antigua will — in theory — be allowed to distribute copies of American DVDs, CDs and games and software with impunity. ‘That has only been done once before and is, I believe, a very potent weapon,’ Antigua’s lawyer Mark Mendel said. ‘I hope that the United States government will now see the wisdom in reaching some accommodation with Antigua by that dispute.’”

Read more of that story at Slashdot.

Orginal post by Zonk