Creation Of New Internet Domain Names In 2012

On June 20, 2011, in Singapore, ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), the global co-ordination body for internet addresses, approved the new program for the thematic extension of GTLDs. This program will certainly lead to significant growth in the number of domain names (GTLDs) on the internet. This change will affect all owners of trademarks who will have to weigh the pros and cons and opportunities and risks they will face under the new program, which will be officially launched on January 12, 2012.

Once launched, the registration of domain names will become public, and everybody will be able to register a gTLD. To open it up to the public, ICANN will allow new thematic extensions, which will no longer be restricted to the existing 22 generic extensions. They may now consist of geographic domains such as .switzerland, .canada, .vancouver or even trademarks. Practically any word, name, trademark or other designation may be identified with a