Brussels, 10/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - The French Socialist MEP Harlem Désir has welcomed the World Trade Organisation ruling that the US law preventing Pernod-Ricard from exercising its right to the "Havana Club" rum trademark in the United States is discriminatory and contravenes the rule of the "most favoured nation" (see EUROPE of 4 January, p.8).
In a press release in which he notes that the WTO appeals body had confirmed the European Union's appeal in support of the French company's interests (after US legislation challenged the right of the company to use the (Cuban) Havana Club trademark and thereby acted in the interests of Bacardi), the MEP explained that the European Commission now had to make the United States abide by the rulings of the WTO which has instructed them to stop refusing to market Cuban rum. Mr Désir pointed out that a similar situation held for the issue of US export subsidies arguing that it was not acceptable for WTO rulings to be binding on some countries and optional for others.