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The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) yesterday tentatively adopted measures proposed by a team of trademark experts to protect trademark rights as the body begins accepting applications for unlimited generic top-level domains (gTLDs).

The ICANN board has accepted two key recommendations made by the Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT), a panel made up of senior in-house trademark counsel, private practitioners, domain experts and academics. However, the full implementation of the measures is still questionable, as ICANN's board has requested that the Generic Names Supporting Organization  decide whether the rights protection mechanisms "are consistent with the GNSO's proposed policy on the introduction of new gTLDs, and are an appropriate and effective option for achieving the GNSO's stated principles and objectives".

The measures, open for comment until November 22 2009, are:

    * the creation of an IP Clearinghouse, which is a database of validated trademarks to be utilized by new gTLD registry operators in implementing either an IP claims service or sunrise process during TLD launch; and
     * the creation of a Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) process for use in clear-cut, blatant cases of trademark infringement.

For more details check this article here . http://www.worldtrademarkreview.com/daily/Detail.aspx?g=87a1bb59-d79c-4fe6-86bd-05d487e19f51