Governmental Advisory Committee announces IGO list of 192 organizations protected in new gTLDs

The Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) send a letter to ICANN about the Protection of the Names and Acronyms of the Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) in new gTLDs. Following consultations between the IGO coalition and the GAC, the criteria for protection were agreed and the corresponding final list of the IGOs was sent to ICANN. The list includes 192 organizations in total with their acronyms. The list includes the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and a lot more.

Criteria for protection
The names and acronyms used by International Organizations may not be acquired by any third party as a domain name at either the top or the second level, unless express written permission is obtained from the International Organization concerned:

For purposes of the present protection, the term “International Organization”1 shall mean:
a) an international organization established by a treaty and which possesses international legal personality; or
b) an “Intergovernmental organization” having received a standing invitation to participate as observer in the sessions and the work of the United Nations General Assembly; or
c) a distinct entity, organ or program of the United Nations.

These names and acronyms shall be protected in the following languages: [TBD]

A list of organizations which meet the above mentioned criteria shall be established. Protection for the names and acronyms of the listed organizations shall be provided at the second level in all rounds of new gTLDs and at the top level in all except the first new gTLD round.

The list shall be reviewed prior to delegation of any new top level domains in a subsequent new gTLD round or every three years, whichever comes earlier.