OECD - HCOPIL - ICCOECD - HCOPIL - ICCConference on Building Trust in Conference on Building Trust in

the Online Environmentthe Online Environment

The Hague, December 11-12, The Hague, December 11-12, 20002000

THE ONLINE DISPUTE THE ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION EXPERIENCE OF RESOLUTION EXPERIENCE OF

THE WIPO CENTER THE WIPO CENTER Erik WilbersErik Wilbers

(All rights reserved WIPO)(All rights reserved WIPO)

http://arbiter.wipo.inthttp://arbiter.wipo.int

The World Intellectual The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)Property Organization (WIPO) Normative Activities

– Treaties (175 member States)– Legislative assistance

Registration Activities– Patent Cooperation Treaty– Madrid Agreement and Protocol

Development Cooperation– TRIPS implementation

WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center– Intellectual property dispute resolution services

WIPO CenterWIPO Center

Arbitration and Mediation Services– WIPO Rules– WIPO Clauses– Appointment and referral of specialized neutrals

Resource Center– Information and advice– Customized dispute resolution mechanisms– online dispute resolution application development

Online Administration of Internet Domain Name Disputes

Online Application Online Application Development Development Actors connect via Center site to database Actors can submit all types of files using

forms supporting attachments System logs and stores in categories Automatic notifications of submissions Privileged and secure view of submissions Online payment of fees Possibility to add options (e.g.

videoconferencing)

Advantages Advantages

Affordable Accessible Rapid Global Confidential Within existing legal framework

Domain Name DisputesDomain Name Disputes Trademarks

– Examination and opposition– Co-existence among classes and jurisdictions– Physical limitations

Domain Names– No examination: first come– Unique– Instant global effect

Domain Names Registered Worldwide– 33.359.627 total per Dec. 6, 2000– 20.156.476 .com

Dispute Policy and RulesDispute Policy and Rules Applicability

– Adopted by ICANN at WIPO recommendation– Mandatory (retro-active) through registration conditions

for .COM, .NET, .ORG (voluntary for ‘national’ registrars) Three Cumulative Conditions

– DN identical or confusingly similar to trademark– Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in DN– DN is registered and used in bad faith

Direct Enforcement– Transfer (or cancellation) only - no other remedies– ICANN Registrar must block name and implement transfer– Except if losing registrant goes to court within 10 days

ProcedureProcedure

ICANN and WIPO (Supplemental) Rules Submission of Complaint Against Fee Response in 20 Days after Notification Appointment of Panel from WIPO Roster

– Single-member panel appointed by Center – Three-member appointed by parties and

Center Panel Decision in 14 Days Registrar Implementation after 10 Days

WIPO FacilitiesWIPO Facilities

WIPO Site: Policy, Rules, Guide, Model Complaint and Response, Panelist Resumes

Online Filing of Complaint and Response (Forms or E-mail Attachment)

Online Communication: Center, Parties, Panel, Registrar, ICANN

Web Posting of Cases and Decisions

WIPO Case Statistics WIPO Case Statistics

Dec. 1999 - Nov. 2000: 1682 Cases Filed – December: 1 per month– November: 6 per calendar day

Cases Resolved: 1131– Panel decisions: 880– Party settlement: 251

Number of Party Countries: 74 Case Duration: Under 2 Months

Some Design ConclusionsSome Design Conclusions Administrative, Not JudicialAdministrative, Not Judicial

– coupled with acceptance of court jurisdictioncoupled with acceptance of court jurisdiction Core Substantive PrinciplesCore Substantive Principles

– including standard examplesincluding standard examples– flexibility on ‘applicable law’ flexibility on ‘applicable law’

ProcedureProcedure– fixed, short timelinesfixed, short timelines– no legal representation requiredno legal representation required

FeesFees– limited lump sumlimited lump sum– payment burdenpayment burden

– Corporate trade namesCorporate trade names Names and Acronyms of International Organizations (Paris Convention)Names and Acronyms of International Organizations (Paris Convention) International Nonproprietary Names (INNs)International Nonproprietary Names (INNs) Good-faith registrations (e.g. disputes between trademark owners) Good-faith registrations (e.g. disputes between trademark owners)

More ConclusionsMore Conclusions User FeaturesUser Features

– online informationonline information– model complaintmodel complaint– form-assisted filingform-assisted filing– online filingonline filing– email communicationemail communication

Practical EnforcementPractical Enforcement– limitation of remedieslimitation of remedies

Acceptance of Online CharacterAcceptance of Online Character

– Corporate trade namesCorporate trade names Names and Acronyms of International Organizations (Paris Convention)Names and Acronyms of International Organizations (Paris Convention) International Nonproprietary Names (INNs)International Nonproprietary Names (INNs) Good-faith registrations (e.g. disputes between trademark owners) Good-faith registrations (e.g. disputes between trademark owners)

InformationInformation

WIPO Center WIPO Center http://arbiter.wipo.inthttp://arbiter.wipo.int

WIPO Domain Name Cases WIPO Domain Name Cases http://arbiter.wipo.int/ http://arbiter.wipo.int/ domainsdomains