ICANN Announces “Strawman Solutions”
20th March, 2013ICANN have announced that they will adopt “strawman solutions” regarding trademark rights as the April 23rd deadline for approving the first new gTLDs looms.
On March 20, 2013, ICANN released the following video outlining the protections that trademark holders will receive regarding the impending launch of the new gTLDs. To help protect trademarks, ICANN will implement some of the “strawman solutions” that were discussed, including:
1.) A required, 30-day notice period before the Sunrise periods begin
2.) The extension of Trademark Claims from 60 to 90 days
3.) A provision that allows Trademark holders to add up to 50 “confusingly similar strings” that have already been part of a successful WIPO case
Additionally, President of ICANN Fadi Chehade noted below:
“Let me be clear: if we do not come together towards an agreement on these things we might experience a delay in the program, which I have committed to you that we will be ready for on April 23rd….But without these agreements we might experience a delay.”