ICANN's pre-registration for new gTLDs

[Adebola Akinkugbe <Adebola.Akinkugbe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Following a notification sent to us from the International Trademark 
Association on the 11th of January, 2010, that we contribute our input to the 
two domain name system developments recently being undertaken by ICANN, pease 
our response whether or not ICANN should proceed with pre-registrations for new 
gTLDs is provided below.

Although the pre-registration for new gTLDs is an inevitable development which 
will open new frontiers in the domain name system (DNS). However, there are 
certain issues which continue to require attention.

Such issues include the infringement of trade marks by third parties, 
cybersquatting and the consequent need by trademark owners to defensively 
register their brands. We also note that such defensive registrations only 
afford limited protection as the current ICANN model recommends the protection 
of EXACT match to the Trade Mark thus variants would not be protected.

To this extent we align ourselves with ICANN's position that commencing 
pre-registrations for new gTLDs is premature in the absence of mechanism put in 
place by ICANN to provide adequate protection to Trade Mark owners.


Adebola Akinkugbe
Associate

Aluko &
 Oyebode

35 Moloney Street, Lagos, Nigeria
Tel:                   +234 1 4628360
Mobile:              +234 703 412 7498
Email:               
adebola.akinkugbe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:adebola.akinkugbe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>


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