WIPO Domain Name Dispute Resolution Service for .WF

Pursuant to Articles L. 45-2 and L. 45-6 of the French Electronic Communications and Telecommunications Act (“CPCE”), a complainant must demonstrate that the disputed domain name:

• - is likely to disrupt public order or violate principles of morality, or infringe any rights protected by the French Constitution or by French law; or
• - is likely to infringe intellectual property rights or personality rights, unless the domain name holder has a legitimate interest in the disputed domain name and is acting in good faith; or
• - is identical or similar to the name of the French Republic, of a local authority or group of local authorities, of a local or national institution or public service, unless the domain name holder has a legitimate interest in the disputed domain name and is acting in good faith

Article L. R20-44-46 of the CPCE provides a non-exhausting list of examples of legitimate interest and bad faith

A complainant must demonstrate that it has standing (intérêt à agir) to file the complaint

A complainant must also demonstrate that it fulfils the eligibility requirements to register .FR domain names (https://www.afnic.fr/medias/documents/Cadre_legal/Charte_de_nommage_22032016_VF.pdf)

Courts of France

A complaint under the PARL EXPERT procedure can only involve one disputed domain name

Under the PARL EXPERT the Panel consists of a single expert appointed by the WIPO Center

The pleadings and the annexes should be provided in French only

The Expert shall decide the dispute exclusively in light of the documents and exhibits submitted by both Parties without conducting further research

Complaints under the PARL EXPERT must always be filed in French using the online platform available at www.parl-expert.fr

If the domain name was subject to a previous SYRELI procedure it may not be the object of a PARL EXPERT procedure and vice versa

• - may use only letters, numbers, and dashes;
• - may use the characters à, á, â, ã, ä, å, æ, ç, è, é, ê, ë, ì, í, î, ï, ñ, ò, ó, ô, õ, ö, oe, ù, ú, û, ü, ý, ÿ, and ß;
• - cannot begin or end with a dash, or have a dash in the third and fourth positions;
• - may have up to 63 characters