Washington, D.C. – The Council of Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today reacted to reports that a panel at the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued a preliminary ruling on a dispute between the United States and the European Union (EU) involving Section 211, a provision of U.S. trademark law.

“It is our understanding that this ruling backs the EU’s claim that Section 211 of the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1998 is in violation of the WTO’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) because it denies trademark holders access to the U.S. courts system,” CCAGW President Thomas A. Schatz said. 

“Section 211 is a special interest law that should never have been passed by Congress in the first place.  The panel’s ruling is just one more reason why Congress should repeal Section 211,” Schatz also said.  “Such timely action would not only help to avoid the inevitable imposition of trade penalties that will be costly to U.S. businesses, American taxpayers, and consumers, but also would help restore U.S. credibility in the trade negotiating arena.”

CCAGW is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation’s largest taxpayer advocacy group with over one million members and supporters nationwide.  It is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.