On June 20, 2022, ICANN and EURid signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their collaboration in developing Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) (icann.org, June 22, 2022). An internationalized domain name is a domain name containing at least one non-ASCII character (IETF, RFC 5890, para. 2.3.2.3). The availability of these domain names is an essential indicator of the level of multilingualism and diversity on the Internet. ICANN and registries, including EURid, are thus building the concept of universal acceptance, which tends to guarantee that all domain names, top-level domains (TLDs), internationalized domain names, and e-mail addresses are treated without discrimination (“Universal Acceptance”: icann.org).
In this context, brand owners should consider including IDNs in their portfolio management and online brand protection strategies. Indeed, on the one hand, IDNs constitute an acculturation opportunity for companies that export their brands. However, on the other hand, IDNs also offer additional options for cybersquatters (see, e.g., bmẉ.com (BMW), e-lẹclerc.com (E. Leclerc), порше.com (Porsche), קוקהקולה.com (Coca-Cola) et al.: Brief Overview of Internationalized Domain Names in WIPO UDRPs, iptwins.com, 2021-11-23). In short, each new opportunity should lead brand owners to be extra vigilant.
See also: Internationalized domain names: definition, challenges, and status, iptwins.com, 2021-02-25.
