WIPO Member States Decision

At their meeting from September 23 to October 1, 2002, WIPO Member States took a decision on the issues addressed in the Second WIPO Internet Domain Name Process. This decision was based on the recommendations of the Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical Indications (SCT).

The text of the decision reads as follows:

".. [T]he General Assembly adopted the recommendation of the SCT with respect to INNs.

The General Assembly adopted the recommendation of the SCT with respect to trade names.

The General Assembly adopted the recommendation of the SCT with respect to personal names.

The General Assembly adopted the recommendation of the SCT with respect to geographical indications, it being understood that the SCT is to continue the discussions on this topic.

The General Assembly adopted the recommendation of the SCT with respect to the names and acronyms of IGOs and instructs the Secretariat to transmit the said recommendation to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The Delegation of the United States of America dissociated itself from this decision.

The General Assembly noted that all Delegations support the recommendations of the SCT with respect to country names, except those of Australia, Canada and the United States of America.

The General Assembly further noted that a number of issues with respect to the protection of country names in the DNS warrant further discussion. These issues concern, in particular, (1) the list to be relied upon to identify the names of countries which would benefit from the protection envisaged, (2) the extension of the deadline for the notification to the Secretariat of names by which countries are commonly known, and (3) how to deal with acquired rights. The General Assembly decided that discussions should be continued in the SCT with a view to reaching a final position."

 

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