During 2010, the NAF had 2,100 UDRP filings and 2,177 domain disputes in total, which is a 24% on its 2009 figures. This is close to the 28% rise WIPO reported last week for its filings during 2010.
Like WIPO, filings with the NAF appear to have accelerated in the second half of the year, as last year the NAF told Managing Internet IP that it had a 6% increase in the first four months of 2010.
The NAF and WIPO decided the vast majority of UDRP filings, with the Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Center (ADNDRC) coming third.
Based on figures from its website, a total of 122 cases were filed with the Asian Center during 2010.
The Czech Arbitration Centre, which is the newest player in the market, does not give information about filings on its site, but it decided 13 UDRP cases in 2010. Presumably one or two filings were withdrawn.
The figures show just how dominant WIPO and the NAF are when it comes to the UDRP. Given their dominance it is hard to see how two potential UDRP providers could make a strong business case for gaining accreditation from Icann.
One, the Arab Center for Domain Name Dispute Resolution, has applied to Icann to become a UDRP dispute resolution provider. Its application was reviewed by the Icann Board at its August meeting and was then posted for public comment.
Nothing more has happened at this stage with the application. A group known as the Indian Arbitration and Mediation Centrealso said it was planning on applying, but is not as advanced as the Arab Center and is yet to apply.
The centre had 18 potential panellists named on its website, but is understood to have approached several UDRP panellists from existing providers.
However, its website no longer hosts information about the Centre. Instead it resolves to a page hosting pay-per-clicks mainly linked to the Apple products.
This suggests the Indian Centre is no longer considering applying, but Managing Internet IP has asked Pavan Duggal, nominally the chair for centre, for confirmation.
Both centres have argued that the fact they can cater to language interests of their region will help them differentiate their forums from existing ones, in a similar way to how the ADNDRC can cater the Chinese- and other Asian-language interests in its region.
