Protecting Trademark Rights in New gTLDs: ICANN Invites Participation on Assistance Group for Trademark Clearinghouse Implementa

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26 October 2011

One way ICANN is working to protect property rights, and the interests of registrants, in the New gTLD Program is the establishment of a Trademark Clearinghouse. The Trademark Clearinghouse is being designed to increase protections and reduce costs for trademark holders and start-up registries alike.

ICANN is inviting interested stakeholder participants to take part in an Implementation Assistance Group ("IAG"), working with ICANN in implementing the specified processes to be supported by the Trademark Clearinghouse.

The Trademark Clearinghouse will accept and authenticate rights information, and will support both trademark claims and sunrise services, required in all new gTLDs.  The Clearinghouse is expected to play an important role in the launch of the New gTLD Program and in ensuring ongoing protection of trademark rights.

ICANN has issued arequest for information[PDF, 244 KB] for providers to perform the Trademark Clearinghouse functions.  The selected provider(s) will be informed by the business requirements already formulated, the recommended framework for implementation of the supporting processes as developed with the IAG, and other inputs.

The Implementation Assistance Group will work on a sequenced schedule incorporating parallel work tracks, with delivery of the recommended requirements requested by March 2012.                                                                

The Implementation Assistance Group is open to any interested participants; however, it is asked that membership be limited to those individuals who are committed to participating actively in the group.  The documents and proceedings of the group will be available on ICANN's website, to enable monitoring of the developments by others who are interested.

Parties interested in volunteering should indicate their interest by contacting <iag-rsvp@icann.org> by4

November 2011.

More information regarding the Trademark Clearinghouse and its associated services can be found at:http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/trademark-clearinghouse-clean-19sep11-en.pdf[PDF, 550 KB].

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