The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center continues to grow its hegemony on domain names dispute resolution proceedings. After announcing the provision of domain name disputes services for .AD domains, the WIPO announced in the past days supporting disputes against .CV and .LV domain names as of October 2024.
.CV domains under UDRP
The WIPO Center now provides domain names disputes for all Cape Verdean domain names under the UDRP. It currently is the only provider supporting UDRP complaints against these domains.
The usual UDRP Policy, Rules and WIPO Supplemental Rules apply.
lvDRP for all Latvian domains
The .LV domain name dispute policy differs from the UDRP on several grounds:
- Rights covered: Whereas the UDRP is limited to the protection of trademark rights, the .LV Dispute Policy protects trademarks protected in Latvia in which the Complainant has rights, geographical indications protected in Latvia or by European Union Law, and merchant’s names (firm names) as registered in the Commercial Register of Latvia.
- Bad Faith: It is sufficient to prove that either registration or use of the disputed domain name by the registrant is in bad faith, whereas the UDRP requires the Complainant to prove both.
- Language: The language of the dispute resolution proceeding shall be Latvian unless the Parties agree on English being the language of the alternative dispute resolution. A Complainant may file a Complaint in English only if both parties (i.e. the Complainant and the Respondent) are located outside Latvia.
The WIPO handling fees are also slightly lower than the usual UDRP fees.
The addition of both Cape Verdean and Latvian domains to the competence of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center is certainly good news for trademark holders, who continue to see a harmonization in the dispute proceedings against domains across the world, with 3 more ccTLDs covered by WIPO this year thus far, and 3 last year.
Please contact us if you wish to protect your brands across domain names.
