LANDRUSH AND CLAIMS REGISTRATION POLICY

The Registry will offer a Landrush Registration Period prior to the General Registration Launch of the TLD. This period will be made available to any eligible Applicant and will last for a minimum of ten (10) days. Only domain names that have not been reserved or restricted previously will be available for this launch period. Applications in this period will be accepted and allocated on a First Come, First Served (FCFS) award method.

The Registry Operator reserves the right to extend the Landrush Registration Period and/or Claims Period duration if appropriate. In the event of an extension, the Registry will post such notice on the Registry website.

All names submitted to the Registry during the Landrush Registration Period will be processed and allocated based on the First Come, First Served Principle.

Successful domain applications will be processed and allocated immediately.

Unless otherwise stated in this Policy, the Registry Operator, via the Registry’s Technical Service Provider, will allocate a Domain Name if:

• The Domain Name Label meets the requirements set out in its Registration Policy
• The Domain Name Label and the information contained in the Registrar's request meet the requirements in the Registrar’s Terms and Conditions;
• The Domain Name Label is available; and
• The Registrar is in good standing with the Registry.

The term for a domain name allocated in the Landrush Registration Period can be from 1 to 10 years so long as the total term of the domain name registration does not extend over 10 years.

The Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) is a global database and repository for trademark data supporting rights protection mechanisms. Deloitte and IBM operate the TMCH via an agreement with ICANN. By performing trademark validation services, the TMCH replaces the need for trademark holders to register their marks in many different databases as new gTLDs are launched. The clearinghouse:

• Is a centralized database;
• Verifies trademark information from rights holders all over the world;
• Provides this information to registries and registrars during TLD startup phases

ICANN’s Rights Protection Mechanisms (RPMs) requirements have stipulated all domain name registrations in the first 90 days of the General Availability period be subject to the claims process. In addition, any domain name being released off of the reserved name list for the first time must be subject to the claims process.

During the Landrush Registration Period requested domain names that match labels in the TMCH will also be subject to the acceptance of a claims notice. The claims notice provides notice to prospective domain name registrants that the particular domain name they wish to register has a trademark claim against it. The prospective registrant must then choose to proceed with the registration or not. If the registrant proceeds with the registration, the rightful owner of the trademark with a claim against the name is notified of the registration by the TMCH. The owner of the mark matching the TMCH label may then take legal action against the registrant, if desired.

The Claims Period will be in effect from the beginning of the period prior to Landrush (City Government Phase), will run though the Landrush Period and last for 90 days after the start of the General Availability Period.