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  • Writer's pictureLukáš Pelcman

Domain disputes in 2020

As far as domain disputes are concerned, the year 2020 was significant. Despite the pandemic, their numbers increased again year-on-year. Record numbers were recorded both by the Court of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the platform at the Czech Court of Arbitration (CAC).


WIPO


WIPO panels in 2020 decided a total of 4204 domain disputes, which represents an increase of 14% compared to 2019. It is also the highest number of domain disputes recorded before WIPO during the entire existence of this court since 1999. You can view all statistics here.

CAC


The highest number of domain disputes during its existence last year was also recorded by the Czech Arbitration Court.


CAC experts decided a total of 564 domain disputes over generic domains, which is almost 24% more than in 2019 and the overall maximum so far.

There were 34 disputes over the Czech domain, which represents an increase of less than 10 % compared to last year, as well as the current maximum.

The total number of domain disputes over the EU domain <.eu> even represents a year-to-year increase of 46% (60 disputes).


However, the number of disputes over the EU domain is not the only one that represents the absolute peak during the period of operation of the CAC as a court of these disputes. This is probably due to the fact that the Czech Arbitration Court operated from the establishment of the EU domain until 2017 as the only platform for resolving disputes over this domain. As a result, and in combination with the turbulent years after this domain saw the light of day, the total number of disputes over the <.eu> domain in 2006-2008 was many times higher than the current situation. You can view all statistics here.

What is behind the increase?


It is possible to speculate that the pandemic in 2020 further intensified the trend of growing importance of the Internet and e-commerce.


For many, migrating to an electronic platform has become a matter of survival for their business. It can therefore be assumed that depending on the increased demand for domain names for the purpose of their registration for the introduction of an electronic alternative to an otherwise analog business, the number of speculative registrations has increased by the same amount.


Domain dispute mechanisms work relatively reliably and can therefore be relied upon entirely. ADR in the field of domain disputes is a fast and relatively cheap alternative to the courts. It is thus definitely possible to take effective action against speculators, although proceedings against them represent a certain inconvenience.

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