IGO-INGO Identifier Protection recommendations adopted by the GNSO Council

["Verwilghen, Stephane" <S.Verwilghen@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The comments below are submitted on behalf of the Secretariat-General of the 
Benelux Union.

 

The Secretariat-General of the Benelux Union would like to stress that the 
Benelux Union constitutes an entity created under public international law with 
the aim to promote the shared interests of three countries (Belgium, Luxemburg 
and the Netherlands) as well as the well-being of their citizens. As a 
treaty-based union between three Governments, the names and acronyms referring 
to the Benelux Union and its institutions require appropriate protection, 
superior to protection for non-governmental organizations, businesses and 
individuals. 

 

Therefore, the Secretariat-General of the Benelux Union fully supports the 
comments posted by the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, the OECD and 
other IGOs. The Secretariat-General of the Benelux Union confirms that the 
latest IGO-INGO Identifier Protection recommendations adopted by the GNSO 
Council are unsatisfactory and fall short of offering the required protection 
to IGOs. 

 

Like other IGOs, the Benelux Union and its institutions are generally 
identified by the public through their acronyms. It is thus essential that IGO 
protection encompasses both the full names and the acronyms of the IGOs. 
Moreover, the required protection calls for straightforward and cost-neutral 
processes allowing IGOs to prevent and terminate inappropriate third-party 
registrations, without any budgetary implications for the IGO and/or for the 
States having established the IGO.

 

Consequently, the Secretariat-General of the Benelux Union urges the ICANN 
Board to ensure appropriate IGO protection and give due consideration to the 
concerns expressed on various occasions by the OECD on behalf of a large number 
of IGO, as well as to the comments posted by United Nations Office of Legal 
Affairs, the OECD and other IGOs.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

 

          Stephane Verwilghen

          Medewerker Juridische Zaken · Collaborateur Affaires juridiques

          Stafbureau · Bureau du Staff

          Regentschapsstraat 39 · Rue de la Régence 39 · Bruxelles 1000 Brussel

          T: +32(0)2 519 38 96 · s.verwilghen@xxxxxxxxxxx 
<mailto:s.verwilghen@xxxxxxxxxxx>  · www.benelux.int <http://www.benelux.be/>