The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has published a new Registry Agreement governing the relationship between itself and its accredited domain name registries, including brand-owners who have applied to operate registries for new generic top-level domain names (gTLDs) (for background information, see Legal update, ICANN opens applications for new generic top-level domain names). It has also started the contracting phase of the new gTLD programme by sending application forms for those gTLD applications that have successfully passed the initial evaluation phase and have no unresolved objections filed against them. The new Registry Agreement contains enhanced measures to enable trade mark proprietors to protect their trade mark rights, including an obligation on registries to verify allegations of trade mark infringement with ICANN's Trademark Clearinghouse, and to operate an enhanced WHOIS service giving details of domain name registrants. Details of the WHOIS information that registries will have to provide are set out in Specification 4 towards the end of the agreement. For more information about the Trademark Clearinghouse, see Legal update, ICANN publishes Uniform Rapid Suspension System Procedure and Rules. For more information about the domain name system generally, see Practice note, Domain names.

Source: ICANN announcements, 3 July and 4 July 2013.