The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has revealed that the much-anticipated third version of the Draft Applicant Guidebook for generic top-level domains (gTLDs) should be released before the end of September.
The new guidebook, which describes processes for objections to applications, will be the first indication as to what aspects of the Implementation Recommendation Team’s (IRT) report on trademark protection are likely to be adopted by ICANN.
The IRT report has attracted controversy during the course of a rolling consultation period over the summer. The proposed Uniform Rapid Suspension system (URS), which would compel the freezing of an offending domain name registration in certain circumstances upon receipt of a mark owner’s complaint, and the Globally Protected Marks List, preventing the use of listed marks in domain name registrations, have come under criticism from many stakeholders (see Discord on trademark protection heightens fears over gTLD expansion). It will be interesting to see whether, and in what form, these measures are incorporated into the new guidebook.

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