Question Q173

Issues of co-existence of trademarks and domain names: public
versus private international registration systems

AIPPI

Considering that:

a) The trademark and domain name registration systems have evolved for different purposes and have developed different features. However, there are points of contact between the two systems.

b) Domain name registrations have increased considerably, in both the generic Top Level Domains ("gTLDs") such as ".com" and ".net", as well as in the country code Top Level Domains ("ccTLDs") such as ".de" and ".jp", with an increase in the number of conflicts between trademarks and domain names.

c) The growth of the domain name registration system has precipitated a need to review the rules governing domain name registration and the procedures for resolving conflicts between trademarks and domain names.

d) International organizations, national governments, and the private sector have been
asked to address these conflicts and improve the current system of domain name registration and administration.

e) Several national governments have shown an interest in establishing and managing policy for their respective ccTLDs.

And whereas:

f) There is a reasonable degree of harmonization of domain name registration and administration for generic Top Level Domains ("gTLDs").

g) There is a divergence of viewpoints on several fundamental principles concerning ccTLD domain name registration and administration, including procedures for resolving trademark related conflicts.

h) There is a growing need for harmonization among ccTLD registries regarding domain
name registration and maintenance, as well as resolution options for trademark related
conflicts.

i) Organizations such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), and several NGOs have all encouraged greater cooperation between ccTLD registries, as well as the development of
certain universal principles to which ccTLD registration and administration policies and procedures should conform.

j) Harmonization will facilitate more efficient, equitable, and cost-effective domain name registration procedures, and improve due process for trademark related conflict resolution.

Adopts the following Resolution:

1. Registration per se of a name as a domain name should not create proprietary rights in the name. Nevertheless, use of a domain name as a sign in commerce may confer legal
rights on the domain name registrant, according to the applicable national law, for example by means of unfair competition law.

2. Any rights resulting from domain name registrations should be capable of being the subject of transactions such as assignments and security interests/pledges.

3. The domain name registration system for ccTLDs should allow national governments to
determine whether their systems will be administered publicly and/or privately. Nevertheless,

ccTLD domain name registration systems should provide for accountability, which may include minimal governmental involvement and/or oversight, as appropriate.

4. The ccTLD registration systems should not discriminate among domain name registrants based on their nationality.

5. The ccTLD domain name registries should not examine domain name applications for
registration on grounds of being generic or based on the existence of prior trademark or geographical indication rights, since such examination will unduly burden registries as well as significantly impact the speed of domain name registration. If regulators impose public policy restrictions, the applicant must have the right to appeal such decisions.

6. Accurate registrant and contact information (name, postal address, email address, telephone and fax number) should be readily available to the public, free of charge, in an online Whois database, which should include a local address for service of legal notice/ process and other information sufficient to assert local jurisdiction. Such database should also include information regarding assignments (including the registration history), original creation date, encumbrances and security interests/pledges. The provision of false or misleading registrant and contact information should be a ground for rejection or cancellation of domain name registrations.

7. A uniform dispute resolution procedure by which trademark rights holders may seek cancellation or transfer of infringing domain names should be established. The ccTLD registries are strongly encouraged to adopt a dispute resolution procedure in accordance with the WIPO ccTLD Best Practices for the Prevention and Resolution of Intellectual Property Disputes or at a minimum the current ICANN Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) procedure.

8. A renewal/maintenance fee should be payable to maintain the domain name registration.

9. AIPPI supports the current ccTLD harmonization efforts by ICANN through the new
ccNSO (Country Code Names Supporting Organization).

第173题 决议参考译文

　　商标和域名并存的问题：公共与私人国际注册体系的比较

AIPPI 考虑到：

　　 a. 商标和域名注册体系是为了不同的目的而开展的，并且已经发展得各具特色。但是，两种体系之间有联系。

　　b. 随着商标和域名之间的冲突有所增加，普通顶级域名（gTLDs），如：“.com”和 “.net”，以及国家顶级域名(ccTLDs)，如：.de 和 .jp，两种域名的注册都增长得相当快。

　　c. 域名注册体系的增长促使重新审视管理域名注册的规定以及解决商标和域名之间冲突的程序。

　　d. 国际组织，各国政府，还有私营机构都被要求解决这些冲突，并改进现在的域名注册和管理体系。

　　e. 数个国家的政府已对建立和管理它们各自国家的顶级域名(ccTLDs)的政策表现出兴趣。

　　还有鉴于：

　　f. 对普通顶级域名的注册和管理之间存在一个合理的协调度。

　　g. 关于国家顶级域名注册和管理的几个基本原则方面存在观点上的分歧，包括解决与商标有关的冲突的程序。

　　h. 几个国家顶级域名注册处之间有关域名注册和管理的协调，以及与商标相关的冲突方案的选择需求正在增长。

　　i. 一些组织，如世界知识产权组织(WIPO), 国际互联网管理组织（互联网名称和代码分配公司（ICANN）及几个非政府组织全都鼓励国家顶级域名注册处之间进行更大的合作和发展国家顶级域名应该遵循的注册以及管理方针程序方面的某些通用规则。

　　j. 协调应有利于域名注册程序更加有效、公正和节省成本，并且改进解决与商标有关的冲突的应有程序。

　　通过了以下决议：

　　1．将一个名字本身注册为域名，该名字不应该产生独占权利。但是，根据可适用的国家法律，比如，不正当竞争法，将一个域名作为符号用在商业上，可能授予域名注册人以法律权利。

　　2．从域名注册所获得的任何权利应该能够成为交易的对象，如，转让和担保物权/抵押。

　　3．国家顶级域名注册体系应该允许各国政府去决定它们的系统将由公众和/或私人管理。然而，合适的做法是，国家顶级域名注册体系应该给政府提供也许最小的干预和/或者监视的责任。

　　4．国家顶级域名注册体系不应因域名注册人的国籍而区别对待。

　　5．国家顶级域名注册处不应以要注册的域名是通用名称为由，或者基于有商标和地理标志在先权利而审查域名申请，因为这样的审查会过度增加注册处的负担，还大大影响域名注册的速度。如管理人施加公共政策限制，申请人必须对该决定有上诉权。

　　6．准确的注册人和联系信息（名称，邮寄地址，电子邮件地址，电话和传真号码）应免费在“谁是”数据库热线中向公众提供。为提供法律通知/程序服务之便，当中还要包含本地的地址和其他主张当地管辖权所需的足够信息。该数据库还应包括转让的信息（包括注册的历史），最初创建日，债权和担保物权/抵押。虚假的条文或者引起误导的注册人和联系信息应该是驳回或撤销域名注册的一个理由。

　　7．应该建立一个统一的争议解决程序，商标权所有人可以籍此寻求撤销或转让的侵权域名。 国家顶级域名注册处强烈鼓励根据联合国世界知识产权组织防范和解决知识产权争议的国家顶级域名最佳做法去采纳一个争议解决程序，或者，至少采纳现行的国际互联网管理组织的统一域名争议解决方针的程序。

　　8．为维持域名注册，需要缴纳续展和维持费。

　　9．AIPPI支持国际互联网管理组织（ICANN）通过新的国家代码名称支持组织（ccNSO）目前所作的国家顶级域名(ccTLD)协调的努力。