DOMAIN NAME

The ownership of a trademark does not confer directly the ownership of the corresponding domain name.

The combined registration of the trademark and the domain name allows strengthening and integrating the trademark protection.

 

  • Generally, registrable domain names consist of alphanumeric characters.
  • Domain name registrations in relevant registers have a one-year duration, renewable without any time limit.
  • The validity of the domain name registration is not subject to its actual use.
  • The owner of a trademark who wishes to prevent the use of a corresponding domain name registered by third parties may start up legal proceedings.
  • Further, proceedings known as reassignment proceedings are available to recover domain names (the possibility to apply for them depends on the registers in which the domain name has been included), thereby allowing the owner of a registered trademark to obtain the ownership transfer of the domain name.