.eu extends to EEA countries from 8 January 2014

Residents, companies and organisations based in the European Economic Area (EEA) countries of Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway will be allowed to register .EU domain names from 8 January 2014.

“We welcome this positive development which has been in the air for some time,” commented the .eu registry’s General Manager Marc Van Wesemael. “The more countries and businesses that benefit from .eu’s unique identity, the stronger its brand becomes.”

“Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway have had close economic ties with the European Union since the Community’s early years. Granting them access to the .eu top-level domain is a natural step forward in that relationship.”

“Our annual research shows that .eu is seen as a reliable and valuable online label. We are confident that the companies and residents of these countries will soon appreciate the advantages of the .eu TLD, including the strong security procedures for its management and databases.”

Lexsynergy is an accredited .EU registrar and can assist with registrations and local presence services.

Next set of new gTLD launches

Tomorrow (3 December 2013) 7 new gTLDs will start their Sunrise periods. The gTLDs are listed below with a link, which contains more information and pricing.

.camera
.equipment
.estate
.gallery
.graphics
.lighting
.photography

The Sunrise ends on 31 January 2014 so you have until then to submit your application. Applications are allocated at the end of the Sunrise. If two or more applications are received for a domain name, it will be allocated based on the outcome of an auction.

TAKE NOTE: You will need a validated trade mark to participate in the Sunrise period. Contact us if you need assistance with the validation of your trade mark (brandprotection@lexsynergy.com).

New gTLD Webinar for Law Firms & In-house Counsel

The new domain name extensions will have a direct impact on trademark owners.

It is therefore imperative that trademark attorneys and in-house counsel become well versed with the various protection mechanisms available to trademark owners.

To help make sense of it all we have allocated the next three weeks to presenting webinars covering topics, such as:

• Sunrise registrations - What is your strategy?
• Domains Protected Marks List (DPML) - How to block your mark in over 200 TLDs?
• Trademark Clearinghouse
• .Africa and the Mark Validation System (MVS)
• Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) v UDRP 

To participate in one of the webinars below email brandprotection@lexsynergy.com with the subject New gTLD and the number of Webinar you wish to attend.

28 November 10:00 (GMT)
28 November 14:00 (GMT)
28 November 16:00 (GMT)
29 November 10:00 (GMT)
29 November 14:00 (GMT)
29 November 16:00 (GMT)
5 December 10:00 (GMT)
6 December 14:00 (GMT)

Next New Domain Extension Launch - 26 November 2013

.Shabaka was the first new domain name extension to launch (31 October 2013). It is still in the Sunrise period, which ends 29 December 2013. Read more about this launch on our website at http://www.lexsynergy.com/shabaka.

The next set of Sunrise launches, listed below, start on 26 November 2013. Information and pricing relating to each launch can be found at the corresponding link.

.ventures  http://www.lexsynergy.com/ventures
.holdings http://www.lexsynergy.com/holdings
.clothing http://www.lexsynergy.com/clothing
.plumbing http://www.lexsynergy.com/plumbing
.bike http://www.lexsynergy.com/bike
.singles http://www.lexsynergy.com/singles
.guru http://www.lexsynergy.com/guru

How to apply for a domain name in Sunrise period?

1. Submit your registered trademark to Lexsynergy for validation with the Trademark Clearinghouse ("TMCH"). 
2. When the trademark is validated we will receive a Signed Mark Data ("SMD") file from the TMCH. 
3. We will use the SMD file to apply for your domain name that matches your trademark.
4. At the end of the Sunrise period the applications will be processed and if you are the only applicant it will be allocated to you. If two or more applicants applied for the same domain name, during the Sunrise, the domain name will be allocated after an auction involving the applicants. The highest bid wins.

Due to the number of trademarks being submitted to the TMCH delays validating a trademark can be experienced. It is therefore important to submit your trademark for validation as soon as possible.

If you are looking for a cost effective solution to protect your trademarks in "one-go" in over 200 new domain name extensions the Domains Protected Marks List (DPML) may be a viable option. Read about the DPML here.

Lexsynergy is an ICANN accredited registrar and TMCH Agent and able to assist you with each step listed in points 1-4 above.

Contact us for more information about how we can assist in protecting your marks within the new domain name extensions.

New gTLD Launch Timetable

Over the next 2-3 years hundreds of new domain name extensions will launch such as .africa, .shop, and .app.

Each new domain name extension will launch with a Sunrise period. The Sunrise is the trademark priority period during which a trademark owner can apply to register a domain name that matches its verified registered trademark.

After the close of the Sunrise period, the new gTLD will be opened to the public for the Landrush (domains sold at a premium) and General Availability registration periods.

In order to take advantage of the Sunrise period a trademark must be validated with the Trademark Clearinghouse ("TMCH"). Read more about the TMCH here.

We have added a launch timetable to our website so you can keep up to date with each launch date and the specific requirements for each. The table can be viewed here.

Lexsynergy is a TMCH agent and can submit your trademarks to the TMCH. As an ICANN accredited registrar we can also process your Sunrise application.

Get in touch http://www.lexsynergy.com/contact-lexsynergy

Nominet & Co, Drop the Co

Nominet (governing body of UK domain names) announced today that it will introduce domain names directly at the second level making it possible to register domain names such as lexsynergy.uk.

Well, what happens if one person has registered lexsynergy.co.uk and another lexsynergy.org.uk - who gets lexsynergy.uk?

The shorter domain name (lexsynergy.uk) will be allocated to the co.uk owner. The owner will have five years to decide whether they want to use the shorter domain name.

According to Nominet "The move brings the UK in line with other large country-code registries, like Germany’s .de or France’s .fr.  A recent Nominet survey of UK business decision makers found that 72% thought direct ‘example.uk’ registrations should be an option, while only 2% thought they shouldn’t."

The allocation process chosen by Nominet will, no doubt, increase the value of co.uk domain name as those seeking a .UK registration allocation try to buy the corresponding co.uk before launch.

We will provide more information about the .UK launch in due course.

If you need assistance recovering a co.uk domain name email our brand protection team at brandprotection@lexsynergy.com.

Lexsynergy is an accredited Nominet registrar.

Read the news report here.

.KE Alternate Dispute Resolution Policy (ADRP)

Kenya Network Information Centre (KENIC), the organisation responsible for the administration of .KE domain names, has recently uploaded their Alternate Dispute Resolution Policy (ADRP), which will govern domain name disputes ending in .KE.

A Complainant under a .KE domain name dispute will have to prove that:

(A) It has rights in respect of a name or mark which is identical or similar to the domain name and, under the ownership of the Registrant, is an abusive registration; OR

(B) The domain name under the ownership of the Registrant is an offensive registration.

The ADRP defines an abusive registration as a domain name which either –

• was registered or otherwise acquired in a manner which, at the time when the registration or acquisition took place, took unfair advantage of or was unfairly detrimental to the Complainant’s rights; or 
• has been used in a manner that takes unfair advantage of, or is unfairly detrimental to the Complainant’s rights; 

An offensive registration is defined as a domain name in which the Complainant cannot necessarily establish rights but the registration of which is contrary to law, contra bonos mores or is likely to be offensive to any class of persons. This policy seems to be very similar to the CO.ZA ADR.

It is interesting to see the following two paragraphs under Section 5, which has the heading How a Registrant may indicate that domain name is not an abusive registration.

(3) Trading in domain names for profit, and holding a large portfolio of domain names, are of themselves lawful activities. The Arbitrator shall review each case on its merits. 

(4) Sale of traffic, that is, connecting domain names to parking pages and earning click-per-view revenue, is not of itself objectionable under this Policy. However, the Arbitrator shall take into account: 

a) the nature of the Domain Name; 

b) the nature of the advertising links on any parking page associated with the Domain Name; or 

c) that the use of the Domain Name is ultimately the Registrant’s responsibility. 

We are not sure why subsection (3) was included into the ADRP, we can only assume that a registrant who is well versed in the value of domain names ought to know that registering one which is identical or confusingly similar to a trade mark could have legal repercussions.

Subsection (4) makes it difficult for the Respondent to allege that it was not aware of the affiliate links accessible from his domain name. 

The ADRP does make provision for mediation like the Nominet ADR (.UK domain name disputes).

Due to the local presence requirement for .KE domain name registrations a local representative in Kenya needs to be provided for an ADRP. 

Lexsynergy has a local presence in Kenya and can assist with co.ke and other .KE domain name disputes.

Email brandprotection@lexsynergy.com for more information.

TMCH Verifies UDRP Cases for Extended Protection

The TrademarkClearing House ("TMCH") now allows trademark owners that have been successful in a UDRP or court case to add the recovered domain name as a label to its verified trademark. The TMCH calls this service Abused DNL.

By way of example, if you recovered the domain name mymarque.mobi via the UDRP based on the trademark MY MARK you can add the term mymarque as a label to your verified trademark at the TMCH.

The Abused DNL will not allow the trademark owner to register a domain name such as mymarque.africa during a Sunrise period but it will allow them to benefit from the Trademark claims notifications. This means that if a person registers a domain name within a new gTLD 60-90 days after the close of the Sunrise period, the trademark owner will be notified of that registration.

The maximum amount of Abused DNLs that can be linked to a verified trademark is 50.

Fees

UDRP 

Verification of case £50

Adding an Abused DNL £1 per label per year.

Court Case

Verification of case £150

Adding an Abused DNL £1 per label per year.

Email brandprotection@lexsynergy.com to submit your Abused DNL.

First new gTLD to Launch شبكة (.shabaka)

Finally, the first new gTLD has launched. 

The launch did seem to catch registrars by surprise as most have not yet finished testing their systems or have had time to promote this extension. 

.shabaka is an Arabic IDN targeting Arabic speaking communities around the world, which comprise of over 380 million people. Only domain names in Arabic script will be accepted, which obviously makes sense if you are trying to empower such a sector of the Internet community to create their own identity on the Internet.

The registry website states ".shabaka's goal is to be the first truly 'borderless' non-English TLD on the Internet, free from the sanctions of any one sovereign state." We hope this statement is actively promoted to make this new gTLD a success.

The Sunrise period has started so if you have an Arabic script trademark you should consider registering your .shabaka domain name. Your trademark will first have to be verified by the Trademark Clearinghouse ("TMCH").

As an ICANN registrar and TMCH agent we assist with your trademark verification and Sunrise application.

You can also follow all the launch dates on our website at http://www.lexsynergy.com/new-gtlds/sunrise-launches

Termination of Free .RW domain names

RICTA (the .RW registry) is urging all Rwandan citizens who registered free .RW domain names to renew them before 31 December 2013.

Prior to RICTA taking over the administration of the .RW country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) Rwandan citizens were allowed to register one free .RW domain name per person. This free registration service terminates on 31 December 2013.

After 31 December 2013 all expired .RW domain names will be suspended. By the end of 31 January 2014 all the expired .RW domain names will be released into the pool of available .RW domain names.

Renewals of these domain names can only be done via a .RW registrar.
Lexsynergy is an accredited .RW registrar and can assist with renewing your .RW domain names. Email us at domain@lexsynergy.com or call us via any one of our offices.

THIS NOTICE ONLY APPLIES TO RWANDAN CITIZENS HOLDING A FREE .RW DOMAIN NAME.

Donuts Block - Blocking Your Trademark in over 200 TLDs

Donuts Block - Blocking Your Trademark in over 200 TLDs

Balancing trademark rights and domain name interests can be a difficult exercise. Donuts is the first new gTLD applicant to introduce a block service for trademark owners in an attempt to reduce exposure to cybersquatting.

The Domains Protected Marks List (DPML) is explained in detail on our website as well as in our DPML brochure however we feel it necessary to explain the benefits of the system.

In short, the DPML blocks the registration of domain names, in all Donuts' TLDs, which match a verified trademark. However, the block can be overridden, on a per TLD basis, by another trademark owner who has verified their trademark with the Trademark Clearinghouse ("TMCH"). 

So what is the point of blocking registrations if they can be overridden? The answer is simple, it can only be overridden by another trademark owner and not a squatter ultimately reducing the number of potential domain name disputes.

Securing a domain name during a Sunrise period (trademark owner priority registration period) can be expensive so the DPML block is a cost effective solution. 

The block does not allow you to use the domain name but should you wish to do so this can be done by overriding it in a particular TLD and registering the domain name.

The initial block can be secured for 5 or 10 years and renewed thereafter provided your trademark remains verified with the TMCH.

The majority of the new gTLD registrations will be defensive in order to prevent squatting therefore taking advantage of a cost effective solution seems sensible.

If you want to chat to us about the DPML drop us a line

Back on the Blog

We have decided to revive our blog.

Why you ask? 

Well, with so much happening in the domain name industry such as the launch of new gTLDs, the re-launch of ccTLDs and a substantial increase in domain names disputes we felt it necessary to convey such information to our clients and readers. Also it gives some of our staff members something to do :)