Rules
for CNNIC Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter I General Provisions and Definitions
Chapter II Communications
Chapter III The Complaint
Chapter IV The Response
Chapter V Appointment of the Panel
Chapter VI Hearing and Ruling
Chapter VII Communication and Publication of the Decision
Chapter VIII Fees
Chapter IX Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I General Provisions and
Definitions
Article 1 In order to ensure the fairness,
convenience and promptness of a domain name dispute resolution procedure,
these Rules are formulated in accordance with CNNIC Domain Name Dispute
Resolution Policy.
Article 2 The proceedings for the resolution of disputes under
CNNIC Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy adopted by CNNIC shall
be governed by these Rules and the Supplemental Rules of the Domain
Name Dispute Resolution Provider.
Article 3 The following terms in the Rules for CNNIC Domain
Name Dispute Resolution Policy (hereinafter referred to as these Rules
or CNDRP Rules) have the following definitions:
(a) CNDRP means CNNIC Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy adopted
by CNNIC , which is incorporated by reference and made a part of the
Registration Agreement, and binding to the holders of the domain names.
(b) Registration Agreement means the domain name registration agreement
between a Registrar and a domain name holder.
(c) Party means a Complainant or a Respondent.
(d) Complainant means the party initiating a complaint concerning
a domain name registration with Domain Name Dispute Resolution Provider
in accordance with CNDRP and the CNDRP Rules.
(e) Respondent means the holder of the domain name against which a
complaint is initiated.
(f) Registry refers to China Internet Network Information Center (
CNNIC).
(g) Registrar refers to the entity authorized by CNNIC and responsible
for acceptance of the domain name registration applications and completion
of domain name registrations.
(h) Agency refers to the entity which accepts the applications for
registrations of the domain names on behalf of the Registrar.
(i) Provider refers to a dispute resolution service provider approved
by CNNIC to resolve the domain name disputes.
(j) Panel means a panel composed of 1 or 3 Panelists who are appointed
by the Provider to be responsible for the resolution of a domain name
dispute.
(k) Panelist means the individual who are listed among the Name List
of Panelists approved by the Provider and published at the Provider's
Web-site, and qualified to be members of the Panel for the resolution
of the domain name disputes.
(l) Supplemental Rules means the rules adopted by the Provider to
supplement CNDRP in accordance with CNDRP and these Rules.
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Chapter II Communications
Article 4 Any communication under these
Rules shall abide by the following principles:
(a) Any communication provided by a Party shall be copied and served
to the other Party, the Panel and the Provider, as the case may
be.
(b) Any communication by the Provider to any Party shall be copied
and served to the other Party.
(c) Any communication by the Panel to any Party shall be copied
and served to the other Party and the Provider.
(d) It shall be the responsibility of the sender to retain records
of the fact and circumstances of sending, which shall be available
for inspection by affected parties and for reporting purposes.
(e) In the event a Party sending a communication receives notification
of non-delivery of the communication, or thinks by himself that
he has not delivered the communication successfully, the Party shall
promptly notify the Provider of the circumstances of the notification.
Further proceedings concerning the communication and any response
shall be as directed by the Provider.
(f) Either Party may update its contact details by notifying the
Provider.
Article 5 When forwarding a complaint
to the Respondent, it shall be the Provider's responsibility to
employ reasonably available means calculated to achieve actual notice
to Respondent. Achieving actual notice, or employing the following
measures to do so, shall discharge this responsibility:
(a) Sending the complaint to all postal-mail and facsimile addresses
shown in the Registry's and the Registrar's WHOIS database for the
registered domain name holder, administrative contact, the technical
contact, the undertaker and the bill contact; and
(b) Sending the complaint in electronic form (including annexes
to the extent available in that form) by e-mail to the e-mail addresses
shown in the Registry's and the Registrar's WHOIS database for the
registered domain name holder, administrative contact, the technical
contact, the undertaker and the bill contact, or if the domain name
resolves to an active web page, sending the complaint in electronic
form (including annexes to the extent available in that form) by
e-mail to the e-mail addresses shown on that web page; and
(c) Sending the complaint to any address the Respondent has notified
the Provider it prefers and, to the extent practicable, to all other
addresses provided to the Provider by the Complainant.
Article 6 Except as provided in the
preceding Article, any written communication to Complainant or Respondent
provided for under these Rules shall be made by the preferred means
stated by the Complainant or Respondent respectively, or in the
absence of such specification,
(a) By facsimile transmission, with a confirmation of transmission;
or
(b) By postal or courier service, postage pre-paid and return receipt
requested; or
(c) Electronically via the Internet, provided a record of its transmission
is available.
Article 7 Any communication by the Complaint
or the Respondent to the Provider or the Panel shall be made by
the means and in the manner (including number of copies) stated
in the Provider's Supplemental Rules.
Article 8 Unless otherwise agreed by
the Parties or determined in exceptional cases by the Panel, the
language of the domain name dispute resolution proceedings shall
be Chinese. The Panel may order that any documents submitted in
languages other than Chinese be wholly or partially translated into
Chinese.
Article 9 Except as otherwise provided
in these Rules, or decided by a Panel, all communications provided
for under these Rules shall be deemed to have been made:
(a) If by facsimile transmission, on the date shown on the confirmation
of transmission; or
(b) If by postal or courier service, on the date marked on the
receipt; or
(c) If via the Internet, on the date that the communication was
transmitted, provided that the date of transmission is verifiable.
Article 10 Except as otherwise provided
in these Rules, the date calculated under these Rules when a communication
begin to be made shall be the earliest date that the communication
is deemed to have been made in accordance with the preceding Article.
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Chapter III The Complaint
Article 11 Any person or entity may initiate
a domain name dispute resolution proceedings by submitting a complaint
in accordance with CNDRP and these Rules to any Provider approved
by CNNIC.
Article 12 The complaint shall be submitted
in hard copy and (except to the extent not available for annexes)
in electronic form, and shall:
(i) Request that the complaint be submitted for decision in accordance
with CNDRP and these Rules;
(ii) Provide the name, postal and e-mail addresses, and the telephone
and telefax numbers of the complaint and of any representative authorized
to act for the Complainant in the proceedings;
(iii). Specify a preferred method for communications directed to
the Complainant in domain name dispute resolution proceedings, including
person to be contacted, medium to be adopted and address information,
for each of electronic-only material and material including hard
copy;
(iv) Designate whether Complainant elects to have the dispute decided
by a single member Panel or a three-member Panel and, in the event
Complainant elects a three-member Panel, provide the names of three
candidates from the Provider's list of panelists to serve as one
of the Panelists in the order of its own preference. The Complainant
may also entrust the Provider to appoint the panelist on his behalf;
(v) Provide the name of the Respondent (domain name holder) and
all information (including any postal and e-mail addresses and telephone
and telefax numbers) known to Complainant regarding how to contact
Respondent or any representative of Respondent, in sufficient detail
to allow the Provider to send the complaint as described in Article
5 of these Rules;
(vi) Specify clearly the domain name (s) that is/are the subject
of the complaint;
(vii) Identify the Registrar and/or the Agency with whom the domain
name (s) is/are registered at the time the complaint is filed;
(viii) Specify the rights or legitimate interests on which the
complaint is based with regard to the disputed domain name, annexing
all materials evidencing the rights or interests;
(ix) Describe, in accordance with CNDRP, the grounds on which the
complaint is made including, in particular,
(1) the disputed domain name is identical with or confusingly similar
to the complainant's name or mark in which the Complaint has civil
rights or interests;
(2) the disputed domain name holder has no right or legitimate interest
in respect of the domain name or major part of the domain name;
(3) the disputed domain name holder has registered or is being used
the domain name in bad faith.
(The description should, for elements (3), discuss any aspects of
Article 9 of CNDRP. The description shall comply with any word or
page limit set forth in the Provider's Supplemental Rules.)
(x) Specify, in accordance with Article 13 of CNDRP, the remedies
sought;
(xi) Identify any other legal or arbitral proceedings which have
been commenced or terminated in connection with or related to any
of the domain name (s) that are the subject of the complaint. All
materials concerning the above proceedings that can be obtained
by Complainant shall be submitted.
(xii) State that a copy of the complaint has been sent or transmitted
to the Respondent (domain name holder) as well as the concerned
Registrar and/or the Agency respectively;
(xiii) Conclude with the following statement followed by the signature
or stamp of the Complainant or its legal representative or its authorized
representative:
"Complainant certifies that the complaint was filed in accordance
with CNNIC Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy and Rules for Domain
Name Dispute Resolution Policy as well as the relevant laws; that
the information contained in this Complaint is to the best of Complainant's
knowledge complete and accurate; that the corresponding claims and
remedies shall be solely against the domain name holder and waives
all such claims and remedies against the dispute resolution Provider
and Panelists, the Registry and the Registrar, the registry administrator
as well as the Agency";
(xiv) Annex, as attachments, any documentary or other evidence
upon which the complaint relies.
Article 13 The Complaint may relate
to more than one domain name, provided that the domain names are
registered by the same domain name holder.
Article 14 After receipt of the complaint,
the Provider shall review the complaint for administrative compliance
with CNDRP and these Rules and, if in compliance, shall forward
the copy of the complaint to the Respondent, in the manner prescribed
by Article 5 of these Rules, within three (3) calendar days following
receipt of the fees to be paid by the Complainant in accordance
with Chapter VIII of these Rules.
If the Provider finds the complaint to be administratively deficient,
it shall promptly notify the Complainant of the nature of the deficiencies
identified. The Complainant shall have five (5) calendar days within
which to correct any such deficiencies of the complaint. If the
Complainant does not correct the deficiencies identified or the
corrected complaint cannot satisfy the requirements under CNDRP
and these Rules, the complaint will be deemed withdrawn without
prejudice to submission of a different complaint by Complainant.
Article 15 The date of commencement
of the domain name dispute resolution proceedings shall be the date
on which the Provider completes its responsibilities under Article
5 of these Rules in connection with forwarding the Complaint to
the Respondent.
Article 16 The Provider shall immediately
notify the parties, the concerned Registrar and CNNIC of the date
of commencement of the domain name dispute resolution proceedings.
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Chapter IV The Response
Article 17 Within twenty (20) calendar
days of the date of commencement of the proceedings the Respondent
shall submit a response to the Provider.
Article 18 The response shall be submitted
in hard copy and (except to the extent not available for annexes)
in electronic form, and shall:
(i) Respond specifically to the statements and allegations contained
in the complaint and include any and all bases for the Respondent
(domain name holder) to retain registration and use of the disputed
domain name (This portion of the response shall comply with any
word or page limit set forth in the Provider's Supplemental Rules.);
(ii) Provide the name and contact details of the Respondent and
of any representative authorized to act for the Respondent in the
proceedings (postal and e-mail addresses, and the telephone and
telefax numbers);
(iii) Specify a preferred method for communications directed to
the Respondent in the domain name dispute resolution proceedings,
including person to be contacted, medium to be adopted and address
information, for each of electronic-only material and material including
hard copy;
(iv) If Complainant has elected a single member Panel in the Complaint,
state whether Respondent elects instead to have the dispute decided
by a three-member panel;
(v) If either Complainant or Respondent elects a three-member Panel,
provide the names of three candidates from the Provider's list of
panelists to serve as one of the Panelists in the order of its own
preference. The Respondent may also entrust the Provider to appoint
the panelist on his behalf
(vi) Identify and state any other legal or arbitral proceedings
which have been commenced or terminated in connection with or relating
to any of the domain name(s) that is/are the subject of the complaint
and provide all information available concerning such proceedings;
(vii) State that a copy of the response has been sent or transmitted
to the Complainant in accordance with these Rules;
(viii) Conclude with the following statement followed by the signature
or stamp of the Respondent or its legal representative or its authorized
representative:
"Respondent certifies that the response was filed in accordance
with CNNIC Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy and Rules for CNNIC
Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy as well as the relevant law;
that the information contained in this Response is to the best of
Respondent's knowledge complete and accurate; that the corresponding
defenses and assertions shall be solely against the Complainant
and waives all such defenses and assertions against the Provider
and Panelists, the Registry and the Registrar, the registry administrator
as well as the Agency.";
(ix). Annex, as attachments, any documentary or other evidence
upon which the response relies.
Article 19. If Complainant has elected
to have the dispute decided by a single member Panel and Respondent
elects a three-member Panel, Respondent shall be required to pay
one-half of the applicable fees for a three-member Panel as set
forth in the Provider's Supplemental Rules. This payment shall be
made together with the submission of the response to the Provider.
In the event that the required payment is not made, the dispute
shall be decided by a single member Panel.
Article 20 At the request of the Respondent,
the Provider may, under some special circumstances, extend appropriately
the period of time for the filing of the response. The period may
also be extended by the agreement between the parties, provided
that the agreement is approved by the Provider.
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Chapter V Appointment of the Panel
Article 21 The
Provider shall maintain and publish a publicly available name list
of panelists. The Panel in charge of the domain name dispute resolution
shall be composed by either one single Panelist or three Panelists.
Article 22 If neither the Complainant
nor the Respondent has elected a three-member Panel, the Provider
shall appoint, within five (5) calendar days following receipt of
the response by the Provider, or the lapse of the time period for
the submission thereof, a single Panelist from its list of panelists.
The fees for a single member Panel shall be paid entirely by the
Complainant.
Article 23 If either the Complainant
or the Respondent elects to have the dispute decided by a three-member
Panel, the Provider shall appoint three Panelists in accordance
with the procedures identified in Article 25 and 26 of these Rules.
The fees for a three-member Panel shall be paid in their entirety
by the Complainant, except where the election for a three-member
Panel was made by the Respondent, in which case the applicable fees
shall be shared equally between the Parties.
Article 24 Unless it has already elected
a three-member Panel and provided the names of the three candidates,
the Complainant shall submit to the Provider, within three (3) calendar
days of communication of a response in which the Respondent elects
a three-member Panel, the names of three candidates to serve as
one of the Panelists.
Article 25 In the event that either
the Complainant or the Respondent elects a three-member Panel, the
Provider shall endeavor to appoint one Panelist from the list of
candidates provided by each of the Complainant and the Respondent.
In the event the Provider is unable within five (5) calendar days
to secure the appointment of a Panelist on its customary terms from
either Party's list of candidates, the Provider shall make that
appointment from its list of panelists. The third Panelist shall
be appointed by the Provider from its list of panelists. The third
Panelist shall be the Presiding Panelist.
Article 26 Where the Respondent fails
to submit the response or, has submitted the response but fails
to indicate how to designate the Panel, the Provider shall proceed
to appoint the Panel as follows:
(i) If the Complainant has designated a single member Panel, the
Provider shall appoint the Panelist from its list of panelists;
(ii) If the Complainant has designated a three-member Panel, the
Provider shall, subject to availability, appoint one Panelist from
the list of candidates provided by the Complainant and shall appoint
the second Panelist and the Presiding Panelist from its list of
panelists.
Article 27 The Panelists shall have
the right to decide by themselves whether to accept the appointment.
To ensure the promptness and smoothness of the domain name dispute
resolution proceedings, if any of the Panelists designated cannot
accept the appointment, the Provider shall appoint another Panelist
from its list of panelists at its own discretion.
Article 28 Once the entire Panel is
appointed, the Provider shall promptly forward the case file to
all members of the Panel and shall notify immediately the parties
of the Panelists appointed and the date by which the Panel shall
forward its decision on the complaint to the Provider.
Article 29 A Panelist shall be impartial
and independent and shall have, before accepting appointment, disclosed
to the Provider any circumstances giving rise to justifiable doubt
as to the Panelist's impartiality or independence. If, at any stage
during the proceedings, new circumstances arise which could give
rise to justifiable doubt as to the impartiality or independence
of the Panelist, that Panelist shall promptly disclose such circumstances
to the Provider. In such event, the Provider shall have the discretion
to appoint a substitute Panelist.
Prior to the acceptance of appointment as a Panelist, a candidate
shall be required to submit to the Provider a Declaration of Independence
and Impartiality in writing.
Where either party thinks that any Panelist has material interests
with the opposing party and that such circumstance may affect the
fair ruling of the case, that party may request to the Provider
for removing the Panelist before the Panel has rendered its decision.
Removal of the Panelist shall be in the Provider's discretion.
Article 30 No Party or anyone acting
on its behalf may have any unilateral communication with the Panel.
All communications between a Party and the Panel or the Provider
shall be made to a case administrator appointed by the Provider
in the manner prescribed in the Provider's Supplemental Rules.
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Chapter VI Hearing and Ruling
Article 31 The Panel shall conduct the
proceedings in such manner as it considers appropriate according
to these Rules, and decide a complaint on the basis of the statements
and documents submitted and in accordance with CNDRP, as well as
any rules and principles of law which it deems applicable. If a
Respondent does not submit a response, the Panel shall, in absence
of exceptional circumstances, decide the dispute based upon the
complaint.
In all cases, the Panel shall ensure that the parties are treated
with equality and that each party is given a fair opportunity to
present its case, give out its reasons and provide the evidence.
The Panel shall ensure that the proceedings take place with due
expedition. It may, at the request of a party, extend, under some
special circumstances, a period of time fixed by these Rules.
The Panel shall determine the admissibility, relevance, materiality
and weight of the evidence.
Article 32 In addition to the complaint
and the response, the Panel may request, in its sole discretion,
further statements or documents from either of the parties.
Article 33 Under the normal circumstances,
there shall be no in-person hearings (including hearings by teleconference,
videoconference, and web conference), unless the Panel determines
that such a hearing is necessary for deciding the complaint. Either
of the parties may request the Panel to hold an in-person hearing
at his own expenses.
Article 34 In the event that a party,
in the absence of exceptional circumstances, does not comply with
any of the provisions established by these Rules or any of the time
periods fixed by the Panel, the Panel shall proceed to a decision
on the complaint.
Article 35 If a party, in the absence
of exceptional circumstances, does not comply with any provisions
of these Rules or any request from the Panel, the Panel shall draw
such inferences therefrom as it considers appropriate.
Article 36 In the event of multiple
disputes between the parties, either party may petition to consolidate
the disputes before a single Panel. This petition shall be made
to the first Panel appointed to hear a pending dispute between the
parties. This Panel may consolidate before it any or all such disputes
in its sole discretion, provided that the disputes being consolidated
are governed by CNDRP adopted by CNNIC.
Article 37 In the absence of exceptional
circumstances, the Panel shall render its decision on the complaint
and forward the decision to the Provider within fourteen (14) calendar
days of its appointment.
Article 38 The Panelists shall submit
the draft decision to the Provider before signing the decision.
The Provider may review the form of the award on condition that
the Panelists' independence of decision is not affected.
Article 39 In the case of a three-member
Panel, the Panel's decision shall be made by a majority. Each Panelist
possesses an equal vote. Where the majority cannot be reached, the
decision shall be decided by the Presiding Panelist. Any dissenting
opinion shall accompany the majority decision.
Article 40 The Panel's decision shall
be made in electronic form and in hard copy, provide the final decision
and the reasons on which it is based, indicate the date on which
it was rendered and identify the name(s) of the Panelists.
If the Panel concludes that the dispute is not within the scope
of CNDRP, it shall so state. If after considering the submissions
the Panel finds that the complaint was brought in bad faith, , the
Panel may declare in its decision that the complaint constitutes
an abuse of the domain name dispute resolution procedure.
Article 41 In the event of any legal
or arbitral proceedings initiated prior to or during the domain
name dispute resolution proceedings in respect of a domain name
which is the subject of the complaint, the Provider or the Panel
shall have the discretion to decide whether to suspend or terminate
the proceedings, or to proceed to a decision.
Where a party initiates any legal or arbitral proceedings during
the pendency of the domain name dispute resolution proceedings in
respect of a domain name which is the subject of the complaint,
it shall promptly notify the Panel and the Provider.
Article 42 Before the Panel's decision,
the domain name dispute resolution proceedings may be terminated,
if
(i) The parties agree on a settlement.
(ii) The Panel thinks that it becomes unnecessary or impossible
to continue the proceedings for other reasons, unless a party raises
justifiable grounds for objection within a period of time to be
determined by the Panel.
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Chapter VII Communication and Publication of the
Decision
Article 43 Within three (3) calendar
days after receiving the decision from the Panel, the Provider shall
communicate the full text of the decision to each party, the Registrar
and CNNIC.
Article 44 Unless the Panel, at request
of one party or considering the specific situation of the Case,
determines otherwise, the Provider shall publish the full decision
on a publicly accessible web site within the time limit stipulated
in Article 43.
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Chapter VIII Fees
Article 45 The Complainant shall pay
to the Provider an initial fixed fee, in accordance with the Provider's
Supplemental Rules, within the time and in the amount required.
A Respondent electing to have the dispute decided by a three-member
Panel, rather than the single member Panel elected by the Complainant,
shall pay the Provider one-half the fixed fee for a three-member
Panel. In all other cases, the Complainant shall bear all of the
Provider's fees.
Article 46 No action shall be taken
by the Provider on a complaint until it has received from Complainant
the initial fee in accordance with the Provider's Supplemental Rules.
Article 47 If the Provider has not received
the fees within eight (8) calendar days of receiving the complaint,
the complaint shall be deemed withdrawn and the proceedings terminated.
Article 48 In exceptional circumstances,
in the event the Panel, at the request of a party, determines that
an in-person hearing is to be held, the Provider shall request the
parties for the payment of additional fees, which shall be established
in agreement with the Parties and the Panel.
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Chapter IX Supplementary Provisions
Article 49
Except in the case of deliberate wrongdoing, neither the Provider
nor a Panelist shall be liable to a party for any act or omission
in connection with any proceedings under these Rules.
Article 50 These Rules are subject to
the interpretation of CNNIC.
Article 51 These Rules are effective
as from Sep.30, 2002.
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