Taiwan Network Information Center
Domain Name
Dispute
Resolution Policy
[Translation][1] Passed 8 March 2001
Article
1 Purpose
This
Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (hereinafter, the :Policy;) is specially
adopted for the resolution of disputes arising between Registrants and third
parties in respect of Domain Names registered with the Taiwan Network Information
Center and Registrars.
Article
2 Definitions
The
following terms, as used in this Policy, are defined as follows:
| 1. |
Domain
Name means a name issued by the Registry Administrator or Registrars
in accordance with applicable policies promulgated by the Taiwan Network
Information Center and in which the country-code top-level domain
(ccTLD) is :tw;. |
| 2. |
Registry Administrator
means the Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC). |
| 3. |
Registrar means an
institution responsible for Domain Name registration under an agreement
signed between it and the Registry Administrator. |
| 4. |
Dispute-Resolution Provider
[:Provider;] means a neutral institution approved by the Registry
Administrator to handle Domain Name disputes. |
| 5. |
Registrant means
a person who has registered and may use a Domain Name pursuant to
applicable policies promulgated by the Registry Administrator. |
| 6. |
Complainant means
a person who asks a Provider to resolve a Domain Name dispute pursuant
to this Policy. |
| 7. |
Party means a Registrant
or Complainant. |
| 8. |
Panelist means an
individual selected and publicly announced by a Provider as qualified
to handle Domain Name disputes. |
| 9. |
Panel means a panel
composed of Panelists to handle Domain Name disputes. |
Article
3 Registrant・s Obligation of Disclosure
When
applying to register or renew registration of a Domain Name or to change
Domain Name registration information, the registrant shall disclose to the
Registrar and warrant the truthfulness of the below-listed matters, and
shall assume sole responsibility for any infringement of rights or interests
of others:
| 1. |
That the statements made
on the application form are complete and accurate; |
| 2. |
That, to the Registrant・s
knowledge, the Domain Name registered by it does not infringe on rights
or interests of others; |
| 3. |
That it is not registering,
and will not use, the Domain Name for improper purposes; |
| 4. |
That it is not deliberately
registering, and will not deliberately use, the Domain Name in a manner
that violates applicable laws or regulations. |
Article
4 Cancellation or Transfer of a Domain Name
In
any of the following circumstances, the Registry Administrator may cancel
or transfer a registered Domain Name:
| 1. |
The Registry Administrator
receives written instructions from the Registrant or its agent, provided
this shall not apply in the circumstances in Article 14; |
| 2. |
The Registry Administrator
receives an irrevocable judgment of a court or a certifying document
having the same force as an irrevocable judgment of a court; |
| 3. |
The Registry Administrator
receives a written decision of a Provider. |
The
Registry Administrator may also cancel or transfer a registered Domain Name
pursuant to applicable registration policies agreed to by the Registrant
or provisions of other laws or regulations.
Article 5 Grounds for Complaint Filing and Relevant
Principles
A
Complainant may, on the grounds that the below-listed circumstances exist
in respect of the Registrant・s Domain Name registration, file a complaint
with a Provider pursuant to this Policy:
| 1. |
The Domain Name is identical
or confusingly similar to a trademark(s), mark(s), personal name,
business name, or other emblem(s) of the Complainant; |
| 2. |
The Registrant has no rights
or legitimate interests in respect of the Domain Name; |
| 3. |
The Registrant has registered
or used the Domain Name in bad faith. |
Evidence
submitted by both Parties, and all other materials, shall be considered
when determining the presence of the elements in the subparagraphs of the
preceding paragraph. If any of the circumstances in the subparagraphs below
are present, a determination may be made that the Registrant has rights
or legitimate interests in the Domain Name:
| 1. |
Before receiving any notice
of the Domain Name dispute from a third party or a Provider, the Registrant
used in good faith, or made demonstrable preparations to use, the
Domain Name or a name corresponding to the Domain Name in selling
goods or offering services; |
| 2. |
The Registrant・s use of
the Domain Name is well known to the general public; |
| 3. |
The Registrant
is making a lawful, non-commercial, or legitimate use of the Domain
Name and is not using it for commercial profit in a manner that would
confuse or mislead consumers or detract from or harm the trademark(s),
mark(s), personal name, business name, or other emblem(s) at issue.
|
The circumstances in the
following subparagraphs may be considered when making a determination of
bad faith in the registration or use of a Domain Name under paragraph 1,
subparagraph 3:
| 1. |
The Registrant registered
or acquired the Domain Name primarily for the purpose of gaining from
the Complainant or a competitor thereof, by selling or renting the
Domain Name or by some other means, a profit in excess of the expenses
related to registering the Domain Name; |
| 2. |
The Registrant registered
the Domain Name for the purpose of preventing the Complainant from
using a trademark(s), mark(s), personal name, business name, or other
emblem in a Domain Name registration; |
| 3. |
The Registrant registered
the Domain Name primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business
activities of a competitor; |
| 4. |
The Registrant, for purposes
of profit-seeking, has intentionally sought to induce or mislead network
users to visit the Registrant・s web site or other on-line location
by creating confusion with the trademark(s), mark(s), personal name,
business name, or other emblem(s) of the Complainant. |
The Complainant shall select
one of the Providers approved by the Registry Administrator with which to
file its complaint.
Article
6 Basis for Dispute Resolution
The
Provider shall handle the dispute in accordance with this Policy.
The Registry
Administrator shall separately prescribe Rules setting forth the procedures
for dispute resolution.
Article
7 Consolidated Resolution
In
the event of multiple Domain Name disputes between the same Registrant and
Complainant, either Party may petition the first Panel appointed to hear
a [pending] Domain Name dispute between the Parties to consolidate the disputes.
The Panel may thereupon decide to consolidate any or all such disputes to
which this Policy applies as provided herein.
Article
8 Fees
Dispute
resolution fees shall be paid by the Complainant, except in cases where
the Registrant elects for a three-member Panel as provided in Article 6
of the Rules, in which case the fees shall be evenly split between the Parties.
Article
9 Remedies
The
remedies available to a Complainant shall be limited to cancellation of
the Registrant・s Domain Name or transfer of the Domain Name to the Complainant.
The Provider
shall deliver the decision of the Panel to the Registry Administrator.
The decision
of the Panel shall be published in full on a public web site; provided,
if the Panel deems there to be just cause for redaction, it may publish
the content in part only.
Article
10 Litigation
The
provisions of this Policy shall not prevent the Parties from filing a lawsuit
in a court with respect to Domain Name disputes.
When a Panel
renders a decision to cancel or transfer a Registrant・s Domain Name, the
Provider shall send the decision to the Registry Administrator and the Parties.
If the Registrant
has not submitted documentation of litigation as provided in Article 3,
paragraph 4, subparagraph 12 of the Rules within twelve (12) days of the
day the Registry Administrator receives service of the decision from the
Provider, the Registry Administrator shall implement the decision.
If the Registrant
submits the documentation in the preceding paragraph within the period specified
in the preceding paragraph, the Registry Administrator will provisionally
stay implementation; provided, if either Party submits [either of] the following
documents to the Registry Administrator, implementation shall be in accordance
with the content of the document:
| 1. |
A notarized settlement agreement
between the Parties; |
| 2. |
Documentation that the lawsuit
has been withdrawn, an irrevocable court judgment, or a certifying
document having the same force as a court judgment. |
Article
11 Applicable Scope
This
Policy shall not apply to any Domain Name disputes arising between a Registrant
and another person(s) except for disputes governed by this Policy as provided
herein.
Article
12 Neutrality of the Registry Administrator
The
Registry Administrator shall not participate in any dispute between a Registrant
and any other person regarding Domain Name registration and use.
During Domain
Name dispute resolution proceedings, the Registry Administrator will not
participate in such proceedings in any way, with the exception that it shall
provide information regarding Domain Name registration and use at the request
of the Provider. The Registry Administrator shall execute the decision of
the Panel, and shall be in no way liable for the outcome of the dispute
resolution.
Article 13 Principle of Maintaining the Status Quo
The
Registry Administrator may not cancel or transfer any Domain Name registration
except as provided in Article 4, Article 10, paragraphs 3 and 4, and Article
14, paragraph 2 of this Policy.
Article
14 Transfer of a Disputed Domain Name
The
Registrant may not transfer the Domain Name registration to another person
under any of the following circumstances:
| 1. |
During a pending dispute
resolution proceeding or within twenty (20) days after such proceeding
is concluded; |
| 2. |
During a proceeding before
a court or arbitration body, unless the assignee consents in writing
to be bound by the judgment of the court or the decision of the arbitration
body. |
The Registry Administrator may cancel transferred
registrations where the transfer was made in violation of the provisions
of the preceding paragraph.
Article
15 Policy Modifications
The
Registry Administrator may modify this Policy as necessitated by developments
in the Internet and the Domain Name system.
Revised Policy
content shall be published on the Registry Administrator・s web site thirty
(30) days before it becomes effective. In cases where the complaint was
filed with the Provider before the effective date of the revisions to Policy
content, the unrevised Policy shall apply to related proceedings. In all
cases where the complaint was filed with the Provider [from] the effective
date of revisions to Policy content [onward], the revised Policy shall apply
to related proceedings, irrespective of when the dispute arose.
In the event
that the Registrant objects to revised content, its sole remedy is to petition
the Registry Administrator to cancel the Domain Name registration. It will
not be entitled to a refund of any fees paid. The revised Policy shall be
binding upon the Registrant until cancellation of the Domain Name registration.
Article
16 Applicable Laws
Matters
on which this Policy is silent shall be governed by the laws of the Republic
of China.
The Registry
Administrator shall be responsible for interpreting this Policy.
Article
17 Effective Date
This
Policy shall become effective thirty days after its promulgation.
twn001\trn0831 Domain Name Dispute Policy
[1] In case of any discrepancy in form or substance between this translation
and the original Chinese text, the Chinese text shall govern.
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