Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
E. DOMAIN NAMES AND GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS
1.
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
6.185
ICANN is responsible for the allocation of generic Top Level Domains
(gTLDs), such as .com, .net, and .org. Since 2006 it has been considering the
extension of the categories of gTLDs. At its meeting in Singapore in June 2011,
ICANN formally approved an expansion of these domains by introducing up to
1400 new gTLDs. ICANN is currently considering in excess of 2000 appli-
cations.
197
These include in addition to the names of cities:
.bzh
(Breton community)
.eus
(Basque Language)
.gal
(Galician language)
.lat
(Latin America)
.africa
(African and Pan African communities)
.scot
(Scots community).
198
6.186
The Government Advisory Committee (GAC) to the ICANN Board has
expressed concerns about the use and protection of new geographic domains in
the new gTLDs. In 2007 it issued 'GAC Principles regarding New gTLDs',
199
which advised that ICANN should avoid delegation of new gTLDs concerning
country, territory or place names, and regional language or people descriptions,
unless in agreement with the relevant governments or public authorities. Those
GAC Principles also stated that new registries should adopt procedures for
blocking/challenge of names with national or geographical significance at the
second level upon demand of governments. The GAC has expressed reserva-
tions regarding a number of new gTLD applications on grounds of correspond-
ence to geographical or other terms, advising the ICANN Board not to proceed
beyond initial evaluation for these, and seeking further clarification from the
Board on the scope for applicants to modify their new gTLD applications to
address specific GAC concerns.
6.187
In 1999 ICANN adopted the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution
Policy (UDRP), which went into effect on 1 December 1999, for all ICANN-
accredited registrars of Internet domain names. As is discussed below, the
WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Centre is the principal ICANN-accredited
domain name dispute resolution provider.
197
See https://gtldresult.icann.org/application-result/applicationstatus.
198
Ibid.
199
See http://gac.icann.org/web/home/gTLD_principles.pdf.
