News In Brief

US seeks to pressure GATT for freer flow of services

The United States has threatened to block a debate on the budget of the world trade body GATT and says it could withhold its contribution in a row over what the organization's work program should include.

The Reagan administration, under pressure from Congress and the US trade lobby, is insisting the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade open formal talks on liberalizing commerce in services and also debate the thorny issue of counterfeiting - producing cheap copies of famous brand names.