Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Qatar, Saudi Arabia halt WTO efforts to resolve piracy broadcast dispute

Qatar, Saudi Arabia halt WTO efforts to resolve piracy broadcast dispute

Qatar and Saudi Arabia have halted efforts at the World Trade Organization to resolve a dispute over the alleged piracy of content produced by Doha-owned sports and entertainment channel beIN.
The two countries notified the WTO they were "mutually" suspending their remaining requests before its dispute resolution body, notices published by the WTO on Friday show.

Saudi Arabia had appealed against the WTO panel's 2020 decision that Riyadh breached international rules on intellectual property rights by failing to prosecute beoutQ, the commercial-scale channel that carried the pirated broadcasts.

The WTO decision was made after Doha filed its complaint in 2018, saying Saudi Arabia was blocking Qatari-owned broadcaster beIN from broadcasting in the kingdom and refusing to take effective action against alleged piracy of beIN’s content by beoutQ.

Starting in 2017, beIN was blocked in Saudi Arabia as part of a diplomatic, travel and trade boycott Riyadh and its allies imposed on Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar denied the claims and said the embargo was designed to undermine its sovereignty.

Qatar's beIN owns the Middle East broadcasting rights for many of the world's most valuable sporting events and entertainment, including soccer's Premier League and FIFA.

Saudi Arabia withdrew its appeal of the WTO's findings while Qatar suspended a request for the body to formally adopt them, notices the WTO published on Friday showed.

"Qatar agreed to the proposed suspension of the appellate proceedings pursuant to the terms of Al-Ula Declaration," Qatar's notice said, adding that it was a "mutually agreed suspension."

Last January, an agreement signed by Gulf Arab leaders at a summit in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, ended the bitter dispute between Qatar and its neighbours, including Saudi Arabia.

As part of that agreement, Qatar agreed to terminate all legal battles connected to the dispute.

Last October, Riyadh lifted the ban on beIN, though unofficial broadcasts had resumed in Saudi Arabia shortly after the AlUla accords were signed.

In 2018, Qatar also launched a $1 billion investment arbitration against Saudi Arabia over the alleged piracy, separate from the WTO action. The arbitration has not progressed since the AlUla agreements were signed.

On Monday, neither beIN nor Qatar's Government Communications Office responded to requests for comment.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
China Criticizes US for Vetoing UN Ceasefire Resolution in Gaza
Saudi Arabia ranks first in UN index for e-government services in MENA
Israel Records 20% Drop In GDP, War In Gaza Is The Reason
Saudi Arabia's FDI Inflows Grow with New International Standards
Venture Capitals Power Up Across MENA Region
PM Modi Announces Opening Of New CBSE Office In Dubai
January Funding for MENA Startups Totals $86.5 Million
Saudi Arabia accelerates digital economy growth through Nvidia partnership
Israel unveils tunnels underneath Gaza City headquarters of UN agency for Palestinian refugees
Israel deploys new military AI in Gaza war
Egypt threatens to suspend key peace treaty if Israel pushes into Gaza border town, officials say
Saudi Arabia Warns Of A "Humanitarian Catastrophe" If Israel Moves On Rafah
US University To Shut Qatar Campus Due To "Heightened Mideast Instability"
Facebook and Instagram Ban Iran's Supreme Leader
Defense Technology Showcase Held in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports rise 2.5% to $6bn in November 2023: GASTAT
Rolls-Royce Executive Encourages Saudi Women to Tap into Their Inner 'Superhero' for Success in Defense Industry
Saudi Arabia launches National Academy of Vehicles and Cars
Saudi Tourism Minister Reveals Plan for 250,000 New Hotel Rooms by 2030
SAR to more than double eastern network passenger capacity with new trains deal
Saudi Arabia Enhances National Defense with New Partnerships
Saudi Aramco Maintains Arab Light Crude Pricing to Asia for March
NEOM Establishes New York Office to Support Investors
Saudi Wealth Fund Draws in Over $25 Billion Worth of Investments in Three Years, Al-Rumayyan Reveals
The Saudi Kingdom's Ultimatum to Israel: A Win-Win Peace with Saudi Arabia and the Arab World, or a Lose-Lose Continued Occupation and Endless Conflict
Biden condemns anti-Arab hate after WSJ opinion piece calls Dearborn ‘jihad capital’
Turkey Releases Seven Hostages Captured by Pro-Gaza Gunman
Arab Parliament Commends Women's Contributions to Societal Development
British and Hungarian Foreign Ministers visited Lebanese leaders to stress the importance of enacting UN Resolution 1701
Yemen's Houthis Say They Targeted British Merchant Vessel In Red Sea
Donald Trump Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for 'Historic' Middle East Policy
US lawmakers approve F-16 jet sale to Turkey following NATO expansion support
Saudi Arabia Climbs 25 Places in World Bank's National Statistics Indicator
Tourism Growth in Saudi Arabia Fuels Advancements in the Hospitality Industry," Says Rotana Official
Houthi Rebels Request Departure of UN Staff from Yemen, Including US and UK Personnel, within a Month
Modi Inaugurates Hindu Temple on Site of Demolished Mosque in India
Over 25,000 Deaths in Gaza Amid Israeli Offensive
Escalating Clashes in Gaza as Israel Distributes Leaflets to Assist in Locating Hostages
Turkey's First Astronaut Set to Launch for International Space Station Today
Head of Palestinian Investment Fund Warns More People May Die of Hunger Than War in Gaza
Palestinian Envoy Criticizes UK for Alleged 'Double Standards' in Policies Toward Israel
Morocco to Lead UN Human Rights Council in 2024
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Egypt has been identified as the leading military force among Arab nations and ranks 15th globally
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Iranian Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi Receives Additional Prison Sentence
"Gazans Urge Israeli Forces to Target Hamas in Leaked Audio"
Biden States US and UK Airstrikes on Houthis Were a 'Defensive Action
Large Pro-Palestine Rally in London as Gaza Conflict Hits Day 100
South Africa Urges World Court to Halt Israeli Actions in Gaza
×