Open Letter from WIPO to the Internet Community

Thu Jun 19 13:09:19 UTC 1997

Dear Internet Friends:

There has been some discussion in the press and on the public lists concerning
the dispute resolution procedures contemplated under the Memorandum of
Understanding on the Generic Top Level Domain Name Space of the Internet Domain
Name System (gTLD-MoU), and the role of the World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Center in administering those
procedures.

It is clear that the dispute resolution procedures involving trademarks and
domain names are of critical interest to domain name holders that are not
intellectual property right owners.  Concerns about these procedures warrant a
direct communication to the Internet community to explain the contemplated
dispute resolution procedures and the proposed involvement of WIPO.

Accordingly, WIPO has posted an OPEN LETTER to the Internet Community concerning
the domain name dispute resolution procedures under the gTLD-MoU.  The OPEN
LETTER can be found on the WIPO web site, at
http://www.wipo.int/eng/internet/domains/openlet.htm.

The gTLD-MoU, draft CORE-MoU, Proposed Substantive Guidelines Concerning
Administrative Challenge Panels, and WIPO meeting documents may all be accessed
through the WIPO web site (http://www.wipo.int/eng/internet/domains/index.htm).

WIPO welcomes this opportunity to explain the contemplated dispute resolution
procedures, and the role of the WIPO Center.  Constructive comments concerning
the Open Letter and the above-mentioned documents are encouraged, and may be
sent to albert.tramposch at wipo.int.

Thank you.