WTO rules in favor of Qatar in broadcast rights dispute with Saudi
In a massive win for Qatar, the World Trade Organization (WTO) yesterday ruled in favor of the country in a broadcast rights issue with Saudi Arabia.
According to the WTO ruling, the Saudi government has actively promoted beoutQ piracy operation and violated its obligations under international law to protect intellectual property rights.
WTO, which is one of the world’s most highly regarded international adjudicative bodies, which oversees 164 member countries completed the 1.5-year evaluation of Saudi’s conduct with regards to beoutQ’s piracy.
The Premier League, FIFA, UEFA, LaLiga, Bundesliga, and many other sports bodies made declarations directly against Saudi Arabia as part of the proceedings.
Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) welcomed the WTO ruling calling it “a resounding victory.”
“We expect Saudi Arabia, especially since it is hosting the upcoming G20, to respect this decisive ruling and end the theft and piracy of IP rights at once,” said the Minister of Commerce and Industry His Excellency Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari.
HE the Minister said Saudi can start to act upon the ruling by “conducting a fair, timely, and transparent legal proceeding against the perpetrators in order to stop this abuse posthaste.”
According to the WHO ruling, Saudi has breached its obligations under the WTO Agreement on Trade related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement). By refusing to take any action, Saudi has failed to protect intellectual property (IP) rights.
The WTO panel has urged Saudi to put an end to the abuse of IP rights and “bring its measures into conformity” with WTO law.
Today, the @WTO found Saudi Arabia in breach of WTO obligations to take action against Saudi-based pirate broadcaster beoutQ and stop its abuse of IP rights, a victory for Qatari and international rights holders and vindicating #Qatar's pursuit of justice.https://t.co/iHH2MbDLIl pic.twitter.com/0u7R1tbDsq
— مكتب الاتصال الحكومي (@GCOQatar) June 16, 2020
The ruling came after Qatar filed a formal complaint against Saudi Arabia through the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body.
In the report published by WTO, the international body concluded that beoutQ has been pirating copyrighted media content of Qatari company beIN Media Group LLP (beIN) in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
This blatant act of piracy has extended to the sale of beoutQ subscriptions and set-top decoder boxes across several retail outlets in Saudi.
In addition to pirating beIN’s proprietary and licensed sports content, the beoutQ boxes allow access to thousands of pirated movies, TV shows, and TV channels from around the globe, and pirate broadcasts have been transmitted via Saudi-based Arabsat satellite frequencies and a Saudi company, Saudi Selevision Company LLC - the WTO report reveals.
Stephen Nathan QC, Blackstone Chambers, counsel for beIN Media Group said the "WTO ruling is a historic vindication of intellectual property rights. The decision is founded on rules that 164 nations have agreed to apply. The WTO has established that, since 2017, the Saudi government has played a central role in enabling and promoting beoutQ’s theft of world sport and entertainment – the most widespread and damaging piracy operations that the world has ever seen.
"Saudi Arabia’s breach of international law is clearly established; the damage to the Premier League, other rights-holders and broadcasters has been colossal and it has been brought about by Saudi Arabia’s promotion and support for the beoutQ piracy, coupled with its abstention from taking any meaningful steps to stamp it out as the WTO panel has held.”
The full WTO report is available here.
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