On 12 June 2010 ANO “Coordination Center for ccTLD .RU” received a letter from the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communication, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) with the information on a recent dramatic increase in the number of applications for registration of electronic media. In particular, it was noted that while in April 2010 Roskomnadzor received just three such applications for registration of electronic media, there were 36 in May and 900- in June 2010. Meanwhile, in most cases the applications contain names of mass media consisting of commonly used words, such as, книги (books).рф, цветы (flowers).рф, строительство (house building).рф, among others.
Roskomnadzor assumes that the surge in the number of such applications is due to the coming into effect of the Procedures on sunrise period for domain names registration in ccTLD .РФ, which has become effective for certain categories of registrants (hereinafter referred to as ”Procedures”). The agency suggests that applicants who register mass media with commonly used names pursue the goal of acquiring, during the sunrise period, domain names which correspond to respective mass media names for their dishonest use, including downstream resale.
In order to preclude registration of the most popular domain names by way of “conveyer” registration of mass media, Roskomnadzor has resorted to the Coordination Center for ccTLD .RU with a request to introduce amendments into the Procedures.
While fully sharing Roskomnadzor’s concerns, the Coordination Center has conducted consultations with representatives of the Ministry of Telecommunications and Mass Media and Roskomnadzor. Consequently, the CC Board was proposed to introduce amendments to the Procedures with regard to mass media. The CC Board is currently looking into a possibility of introducing amendments to the Procedures regarding adopting an additional criterion for those mass media which may submit applications for the sunrise period. According to the proposed provisions of the procedures, it will solely be those mass media which were registered prior to 12 May 2010 (the date when the Procedures took effect (i.e. not later than 11 May 2010) that may submit applications for the sunrise period. In order to secure the rights of scrupulous registrants’rights, the amendments shall be introduced prior to the sunrise period, i.e. 15 July 2010.
The issue was put to a vote before the CC Board:
- To formulate clause 1.4.5 of the Procedures on sunrise period of domain names registration in ccTLD .РФ for certain categories of registrants as follows
“Founders of mass media registered prior to 12 May 2010 following the procedure set forth by the law of the Russian Federation whose product is intended for dissemination in the territory of the Russian Federation.”
- To make amendments to the Procedures of sunrise period of domain names registration in ccTLD .РФ for certain categories of registrants starting effective as of 15 July 2010.
The vote will take place on 13 June 2010, and its outcome will be announced in an additional comment.
