It has often been asserted by trademark holders that the new round of gTLDs will have a major and catastrophic financial impact on brands.

But beyond these alarmist statements, is there any empirical evidence to either back this up, or to prove it false?

After examining all UDRP cases done by WIPO and the NAF, sorted by TLD, the evidence shows that new gTLDs play a very minor role in UDRPs, and that to the extent that a TLD matters, .com more prone to infringement than other, newer gTLDs. Infringements, as measured by UDRPs filed (regardless of outcome), show that infringement broadly correlate to the number of domains registered in a TLD zone, and not to the newness or recency of a TLD.

The study also predicts that if 300 new TLDs were created (an estimate made by several observers, including ICANN), there would be 316 new additional UDRPs filed. When combined with the new Uniform Rapid Suspension provisions that will be required for new gTLDs, these cases would result in a total additional cost to trademark holders of $869,000, or less than $.10 per trademark registered worldwide.

The data shows that, for enforcement via UDRP and URS, assertions that brand holders would be faced with enormous costs have been substantially overestimated.

Read the study.

News roundup

Dot-EU Domain Goes Live Today (Silicon.com) – Dec. 7

So Who Is Funding CFIT and Why? (The Register) – Dec. 7

EU Domain Name To Come Into Force (CBROnline.com) – Dec. 7

EU Plants “.eu” Internet Domain Name in Cyberspace (Pravda) – Dec. 7

Europe’s Own Internet Space Starts Wednesday (Reuters) – Dec. 7

8 November 2005
Special Meeting of the Board
Proposed Agenda 

- Consideration of .ASIA sTLD Application 
- Review and Consideration of Policy Development Process Results and Public Comments for “Procedure for use by ICANN in considering requests for consent and related contractual amendments to allow changes in the architecture or operation of a gTLD registry” 
- Board Governance Committee’s Recommendation for the Creation of a new Board Compensation Committee 
- Briefing Regarding Certain Fiscal Year 2005-2006 Budget Items 
- Authorization to Bind Professional Liability Insurance Proposal 
- Redelegation of .GS (South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands) 
- Approval of Legal Expenses 
- Single Letter 2d Level Domain Name Discussion 
- Authorization to Enter into Addendum to Marina del Rey Sublease 
- Proposed ICANN Bylaws Changes on Interim ALAC’s Certification of At-Large Structures 
- Proposed Guidelines for Implementation of IDN’s, v.2.0 
- Approval of Board of Director’s Expenses 
- Other Business

Today, the story has been picked up in a number of publications.

EU Backs Plan For .kid TLD (TheRegister) – Sept. 8
Redux: European Parliament Proposes .kid Internet Domain (CircleID) – Sept. 8
EU Proposes .kid Domain (AustralianIT) – Sept. 8