Domain Name Update: EU Registrations And Cybersquatting On The Increase

A record number of .eu domain names have been registered

as the number of complaints filed with WIPO under the Uniform

Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) has

soared.

According to a recent press release issued by EUROPA, since 2007

over 2.8m .eu domain name registrations have been made. This means

that the .eu domain is now the fourth most popular Top Level Domain

in Europe and the ninth in the world.

Of course, a rise in registrations for any Top Level Domain will

carry with it a risk of increased abuse by non-rights holders. A

recent report issued by WIPO describes how in 2007 a record 2,156

complaints alleging cyber-squatting or abusive registration of

trade marks online were filed with its Arbitration and Mediation

Center - a 48% increase since 2005. This upward trend is

disconcerting given the forthcoming expansion of the domain name

system and plans to introduce a number of new generic Top Level

Domains. The WIPO report suggests that due consideration must be

given to the core UDRP principles during policy development work

and implementation plans in order to facilitate protection of trade

mark holders' rights, and to also ensure the reliability of the

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