WIPO Internet Domain Name Process

Report: Brussels Regional Consultation

Swissôtel
September 29, 1998

The second regional consultation in the framework of the WIPO Internet Domain Name Process was held in Brussels on September 29, 1998. The consultation was organized with the support of the European Commission.

The meeting was attended on behalf of WIPO by Francis Gurry, Legal Counsel and David Muls, Senior Legal Officer, Electronic Commerce Section, Office of Legal and Organization Affairs. The panel of experts, which is to assist WIPO in its work, was represented by Harald Alvestrand (Area Director for Operations and Management, Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)), Geert Glas (Chair, INTA Internet Sub-Committee), Boudewijn Nederkoorn (Chairman, RIPE CENTR), and Maryse Philbert (Director, Trademarks Department Synthélabo).

Remarks by the European Commission were presented by Mr. Paul Waterschoot, Director, Directorate General XV/E.

The presentations and open discussions covered the four main topics to be addressed by the WIPO Internet Domain Name Process: dispute prevention, dispute resolution, protection of famous and well-known marks, and introduction of new gTLDs. The table below lists those who made presentations or interventions during the course of the meeting. Issues that attracted particular attention were the requirement that payment be made of the registration fee before the activation of a domain name registration, the role of alternative dispute resolution for domain name conflicts not involving cyberpiracy, the desirability of establishing separate protection mechanisms for famous and well-known trademarks, and the need for clear differentiation of new gTLDs.

A recording was made of the proceedings, and a transcript is available.

Speakers