WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center

ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION

Les Laboratoires Servier v. Christina Ramsay

Case No. D2019-1085

1. The Parties

The Complainant is Les Laboratoires Servier, France, represented by IP Twins S.A.S., France.

The Respondent is Christina Ramsay, United States of America.

2. The Domain Name and Registrar

The disputed domain name <servierfr.com> is registered with Domain.com, LLC (the “Registrar”).

3. Procedural History

The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on May 10, 2019. On May 10, 2019, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On May 11, 2019, the Registrar transmitted by email to the Center its verification response disclosing registrant and contact information for the disputed domain name which differed from the named Respondent and contact information in the Complaint. The Center sent an email communication to the Complainant on May 14, 2019 providing the registrant and contact information disclosed by the Registrar, and inviting the Complainant to submit an amendment to the Complaint. The Complainant filed an amended Complaint on May 15, 2019.

The Center verified that the Complaint together with the amended Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).

In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2 and 4, the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on May 27, 2019. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5, the due date for Response was June 16, 2019. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent’s default on June 20, 2019.

The Center appointed Mario Soerensen Garcia as the sole panelist in this matter on June 26, 2019. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7.

4. Factual Background

The Complainant is Les Laboratoires Servier, the largest independent French pharmaceutical group, present in 149 countries worldwide.

The Complainant owns several trademark registrations for SERVIER around the world, including the European Union (“EU”) trademark registration No. 004279171, granted on October 15, 2007 in classes 5, 35, 41, 42 and 44 and the International trademark registration No. 549079, granted on January 19, 1990, in classes 1, 3, 5, 10, 16, 35, 41 and 42.

The Complainant also owns numerous domain names consisting of the mark SERVIER, including the domain name <servier.com>, created on December 28, 1998 and <servier.fr>, created on December 17, 2004, among others.

The disputed domain name was registered on March 20, 2019 and the website is currently inactive.

5. Parties’ Contentions

A. Complainant

The Complainant argues that the disputed domain name incorporates the Complainant’s registered trademark SERVIER, with the addition of the letters “fr”. According to the Complainant, by including the letter “fr”, the domain name refers to one of the countries where the Complainant uses the trademark, was founded and enjoys a significant reputation.

The Complainant alleges that the Respondent registered the disputed domain name without authorization, is not commonly known by the disputed domain name and that it has no rights or legitimate interest in respect to the disputed domain name.

In addition, the Complainant says that the Respondent’s use of the disputed domain name or preparation to use the disputed domain name demonstrates no intent to use it with a bona fide offering of goods or services. Instead, a name server query indicates that the disputed domain name is linked to email servers, therefore very likely to be used to send fraudulent emails.

According to the Complainant, the Respondent is not authorized to register and use the disputed domain name, and the disputed domain name was registered with full knowledge of the Complainant’s rights in the well-known trademark SERVIER. The Complainant also says that the sole detention of the disputed domain name by the Respondent in an attempt to prevent the Complainant from reflecting its trademark and company name, is a strong evidence of bad faith.

Finally, the Complainant requests the transfer of the disputed domain name.

B. Respondent

The Respondent did not reply to the Complainant’s contentions.

6. Discussion and Findings

As per paragraph 4(a) of the Policy, the Complainant must prove that:

(i) the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights;

(ii) the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name; and

(iii) the disputed domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

A. Identical or Confusingly Similar

The evidence presented demonstrates that the Complainant is the owner of several trademark registrations for SERVIER around the world, including EU and International registrations.

The Complainant’s trademarks predate the disputed domain name.

The disputed domain name incorporates the Complainant’s trademark SERVIER in its entirety. The addition of the geographical term “fr” does not avoid confusing similarity between the disputed domain name and the Complainant’s trademark. In this regard, it is the general view among UDRP panels that the addition of merely dictionary, descriptive or geographical words to a trademark in a domain name is normally insufficient in itself to avoid a finding of confusing similarity under the first element of the UDRP (for example, Ansell Healthcare Products Inc. v. Australian Therapeutics Supplies Pty, Ltd, WIPO Case No. D2001-0110).

The Panel finds that paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy has been proved by the Complainant, i.e., the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant’s trademark.

B. Rights or Legitimate Interests

The Respondent has not submitted a response to the Complaint.

There is no evidence that the Respondent has any authorization to use the Complainant’s trademark or to register domain names containing the trademark SERVIER.

There is no evidence that the Respondent is commonly known by the disputed domain name.

There is no evidence that the Respondent is making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the disputed domain name or that before any notice of the dispute the Respondent has made use of, or demonstrable preparations to use the disputed domain name or a name corresponding to the disputed domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services. Instead, there is evidence in the Complaint that the disputed domain name is linked to email servers.

The Panel finds that the use of the disputed domain name, which incorporates the Complainant’s trademark, does not correspond to a bona fide use of the disputed domain name under the Policy.

For the above reasons, the Panel finds that the condition of paragraph 4(a)(ii) of the Policy has been satisfied, i.e., the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.

C. Registered and Used in Bad Faith

The trademark SERVIER is registered by the Complainant in several jurisdictions and has been used since a long time. Also, the Complainant registered many domain names consisting of the mark SERVIER, including the domain name <servier.com> and <servier.fr>.

The disputed domain name incorporates the Complainant’s trademark SERVIER in its entirety and the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.

The Complainant’s SERVIER mark is distinctive, represents the surname of the Complainant’s founder and is widely known. Thus, a domain name that comprises such a well-known mark is suggestive of the registrant’s bad faith. The addition of the geographical term “fr” is indeed very likely to mislead Internet users into believing that the disputed domain name belongs to the Complainant, a French pharmaceutical group.

Therefore, this Panel finds that the Respondent has intentionally attempted to obtain any kind of commercial gain with the registration of the disputed domain name.

This Panel finds that the Respondent’s attempt of taking undue advantage of the trademark SERVIER as described in paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy has been demonstrated. In the circumstances, passive holding of the disputed domain name is further evidence of the Respondent’s bad faith.

For the above reasons, the Panel finds that the condition of paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy has been satisfied, i.e., the disputed domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

7. Decision

For the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the disputed domain name <servierfr.com> be transferred to the Complainant.

Mario Soerensen Garcia
Sole Panelist
Date: July 3, 2019