1. OECD - HCOPIL - ICC Conference on Building Trust in the Online Environment The Hague, December 11-12, 2000 THE ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION EXPERIENCE OF THE WIPO CENTER OECD - HCOPIL - ICC Conference on Building Trust in the Online Environment The Hague, December 11-12, 2000 THE ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION EXPERIENCE OF THE WIPO CENTER Erik Wilbers (All rights reserved WIPO) http://arbiter.wipo.int

2. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) l Normative Activities –Treaties (175 member States) –Legislative assistance l Registration Activities –Patent Cooperation Treaty –Madrid Agreement and Protocol l Development Cooperation –TRIPS implementation l WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center –Intellectual property dispute resolution services

3. WIPO Center l Arbitration and Mediation Services –WIPO Rules –WIPO Clauses –Appointment and referral of specialized neutrals l Resource Center –Information and advice –Customized dispute resolution mechanisms –online dispute resolution application development l Online Administration of Internet Domain Name Disputes

4. Online Application Development l Actors connect via Center site to database l Actors can submit all types of files using forms supporting attachments l System logs and stores in categories l Automatic notifications of submissions l Privileged and secure view of submissions l Online payment of fees l Possibility to add options (e.g. videoconferencing)

5. Advantages l Affordable l Accessible l Rapid l Global l Confidential l Within existing legal framework

6. Domain Name Disputes l Trademarks –Examination and opposition –Co-existence among classes and jurisdictions –Physical limitations l Domain Names –No examination: first come –Unique –Instant global effect l Domain Names Registered Worldwide –33.359.627 total per Dec. 6, 2000 –20.156.476.com

7. Dispute Policy and Rules l Applicability –Adopted by ICANN at WIPO recommendation –Mandatory (retro-active) through registration conditions for.COM,.NET,.ORG (voluntary for ‘national’ registrars) l 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 l 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

8. Procedure l ICANN and WIPO (Supplemental) Rules l Submission of Complaint Against Fee l Response in 20 Days after Notification l Appointment of Panel from WIPO Roster –Single-member panel appointed by Center –Three-member appointed by parties and Center l Panel Decision in 14 Days l Registrar Implementation after 10 Days

9. WIPO Facilities l WIPO Site: Policy, Rules, Guide, Model Complaint and Response, Panelist Resumes l Online Filing of Complaint and Response (Forms or E-mail Attachment) l Online Communication: Center, Parties, Panel, Registrar, ICANN l Web Posting of Cases and Decisions

12. WIPO Case Statistics l Dec. 1999 - Nov. 2000: 1682 Cases Filed –December:1 per month –November:6 per calendar day l Cases Resolved: 1131 –Panel decisions:880 –Party settlement:251 l Number of Party Countries: 74 l Case Duration: Under 2 Months

13. Some Design Conclusions l Administrative, Not Judicial –coupled with acceptance of court jurisdiction l Core Substantive Principles –including standard examples –flexibility on ‘applicable law’ l Procedure –fixed, short timelines –no legal representation required l Fees –limited lump sum –payment burden –Corporate trade names l Names and Acronyms of International Organizations (Paris Convention) l International Nonproprietary Names (INNs) l Good-faith registrations (e.g. disputes between trademark owners)

14. More Conclusions l User Features –online information –model complaint –form-assisted filing –online filing –email communication l Practical Enforcement –limitation of remedies l Acceptance of Online Character –Corporate trade names l Names and Acronyms of International Organizations (Paris Convention) l International Nonproprietary Names (INNs) l Good-faith registrations (e.g. disputes between trademark owners)

15. Information l WIPO Center http://arbiter.wipo.int l WIPO Domain Name Cases http://arbiter.wipo.int/ domains