Consultation on TLD " . books"

[Fernand Ernster <fernand.ernster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Board Members,


The European and International Booksellers Federation, EIBF,
represents Booksellers
Associations in the European Union and in the world.  Through its Members
it represents more than 25.000 bookselling businesses worldwide. Booksellers
Associations in membership with EIBF have in membership all kind of book
retailers, terrestrial bookshops, online retailers, selling paper and
electronic books.

** **

We  read   that at its February 2013 meeting, the ICANN Board of
Directors recognized
the problems presented by applications that would restrict use of generic
industry terms to a single company. Granting monopoly control of a TLD to a
single industry member can create an unfair competitive advantage. Such an
arrangement would work against both consumers and the industry associated
with the generic term.

**

EIBF is of the strong opinion that indeed “closed generic” gTLD
applications have to be invalidated  when submitted by commercial entities
operating in a sector of activity related to the closed generic gTLD .

** **

In the case of a closed generic TLD like .books,  the exclusivity granted
to the winning applicant would de facto strengthen the position of the
biggest bidder to have sole use of the gTLD in the book industry,  would be

anti-competitive and extremely  detrimental to the book  industry as a
whole.

** **

I am therefore asking ICANN not to offer for sale a generic gTLD for .book and
other similar words in general usage.


Fernand Ernster

Associate member of EIBF



 Fernand Ernster



ERNSTER S.à r.l.
27, rue du Fossé
L-1536 Luxembourg
Tél.: (+352) 225077-240
Fax: (+352) 225077-249
fernand.ernster@xxxxxxxxxxx