The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will handle objections and appeals during the new gTLD program process
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has announced an agreement with two leading global organizations to manage disputes in the upcoming round of the Top-Level Domain (TLD) New gTLD Program: the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Both organizations will act as Dispute Resolution Service Providers (DRSP). They will be responsible for administering valid objections, facilitating mediations upon request, and resolving appeals of decisions made in this process.
ICC: Limited Public Interest and Community Objections
The ICC has been selected to handle objections based on Limited Public Interest and Community objections. With over a century of experience in arbitration and mediation, this organization previously managed 136 cases during the 2012 gTLD program round, overseeing everything from administrative review of objections to the appointment of independent experts and monitoring their rulings.
WIPO: String Confusion and Legal Rights Objections
WIPO will be responsible for objections based on string confusion and legal rights (Legal Rights Objections, LRO). WIPO has been a pioneer in internet dispute resolution since 1999, managing over 75,000 cases under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). It has also developed policies for more than 85 country code top-level domains (ccTLDs).
In the 2013 round, WIPO was the exclusive provider for legal rights objections, overseeing 69 disputes.
A Process Based on Best Practices
The selection of ICC and WIPO was made through an open competitive call in March 2025, following ICANN’s best practice standards focused on quality, transparency, and value.
Objections submitted will undergo an initial administrative review by the DRSPs. Afterwards, they will be evaluated by a panel of one or three independent experts who will issue a decision. The losing party may file an appeal.
The goal of the dispute resolution process is to offer a formal and efficient pathway for relevant stakeholders to oppose the introduction of new gTLDs into the Domain Name System (DNS), especially if they affect public interests, legal rights, or cause confusion.
More Information
The procedure is outlined in the documents published by ICANN:
For specific inquiries, ICANN has enabled an email contact: [email protected].
Context: This decision is part of the preparatory process for a new expansion of the internet’s domain name space, in the upcoming gTLD application round scheduled for 2026. ICANN continues to strengthen its commitment to a safe, fair internet ecosystem governed by effective conflict resolution mechanisms.
via: ICANN Announcement