US Government: WTO settlement information classified
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Ed Brayton is reporting over in his blog today that the United States Government has apparently decided to classify information regarding recent WTO settlements with the EU, Canada and Japan over the issue of online gambling, claiming that the settlement text needs to be withheld due to national security issues.
The settlements stemmed from a WTO decision that found the US had violated WTO rules by not allowing equal foreign and domestic access to the US online gambling market. The US was required to provide compensation to impacted WTO members, and reached private settlements with the EU, Japan and Canada. Full details of the settlement agreements were not released by the Office of the US Trade Representative at the time of settlement.
Brady subsequently filed a Freedom of Information Act to obtain a copy of the agreement. The response he got is reprinted below:
Dear Mr. Brayton:
This is USTR’s response to your request for “a copy of the full text of the settlement between the USTR and the European Union regarding America’s online gambling laws”, under the Freedom of Information Act.
Please be advised that the document you seek is being withheld in full pursuant to 5 U.S.C. ยง 552(b)(1), which pertains to information that is properly classified in the interest of national security pursuant to Executive Order 12958.
Inasmuch as this constitutes a complete grant of your request, I am closing your file in this office. In the event you are dissatisfied with USTR’s determination, you may appeal such a denial, within thirty (30) days, in writing…
Brayton plans to file an appeal.
Full post here.
