ICANN Publishes New gTLD Application Details
Following our previous updates on the new gTLD program, ICANN has today published details of applications for new gTLDs. ICANN received over 1,900 applications from around the world, and says that this marks the next phase in one of the most significant developments in the history of the Internet.
The results are available from the ICANN website:http://newgtlds.icann.org/en
If brand owners believe an application infringes their intellectual property rights, they may object by submitting either informal comments and/or formal objections. Informal comments can be submitted within 60 days (before 12 August 2012) and formal objections can been submitted (provided certain criteria is met) within seven months ie, before January 2013. Filing a formal objection is a more complex and expensive procedure compared with making an informal comment.
Any new gTLD applications surviving the evaluation and objection period must be operational within one year. Therefore, new gTLDs will commence operations next year.
Brand owners are advised to review the published list for potentially problematic gTLD applications and contact their usual trade mark attorney for advice if they have any concerns.