ICANN, the body that regulates the internet, asked the 15-member Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT) to consider having standardised rights protection mechanisms to reduce the impact of new generic top-level domains on IP rights owners.
The IRT published its report on April 24.
Its proposals include having a centralised database of verified IP rights, establishing a faster, cheaper version of the UDRP for clear-cut cases, creating a globally protected marks list, making registry operators liable for contributory infringement and having a comprehensive, centralised Whois database.
Comments on the proposals can be made during a 30-day period. A final report, taking into account comments made up to May 6, will be sent to the ICANN Board on May 30.
Nick Wood of Com Laude in London, a member of the IRT, urged brand owners to comment on the recommendations, which are likely to be opposed by domainers.
“The value of the work of the IRT can be judged by the number and strength of the attacks made on its work by those members of the ‘family’ of ICANN who see the proposed measures to protect IP rights in the new gTLDs as a possible restraint of their business in exploiting domains,” he told Managing IP.
ICANN’s proposals to open up the gTLD space to all comers are likely to be negotiated further at its meeting in Sydney in June, and the application process could begin before the end of this year.
“It is vital that the IP community respond to the work of the IRT – sending in comments on the proposals, suggestions for new measures or simply an expression in support of the principle of enhanced IPR protection,” said Wood.
Comments will be published online.
