About Intellectual Property IP Training IP Outreach IP for… IP and... IP in... Patent & Technology Information Trademark Information Industrial Design Information Geographical Indication Information Plant Variety Information (UPOV) IP Laws, Treaties & Judgements IP Resources IP Reports Patent Protection Trademark Protection Industrial Design Protection Geographical Indication Protection Plant Variety Protection (UPOV) IP Dispute Resolution IP Office Business Solutions Paying for IP Services Negotiation & Decision-Making Development Cooperation Innovation Support Public-Private Partnerships The Organization Working with WIPO Accountability Patents Trademarks Industrial Designs Geographical Indications Copyright Trade Secrets WIPO Academy Workshops & Seminars World IP Day WIPO Magazine Raising Awareness Case Studies & Success Stories IP News WIPO Awards Business Universities Indigenous Peoples Judiciaries Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions Economics Gender Equality Global Health Climate Change Competition Policy Sustainable Development Goals Enforcement Frontier Technologies Mobile Applications Sports Tourism PATENTSCOPE Patent Analytics International Patent Classification ARDI – Research for Innovation ASPI – Specialized Patent Information Global Brand Database Madrid Monitor Article 6ter Express Database Nice Classification Vienna Classification Global Design Database International Designs Bulletin Hague Express Database Locarno Classification Lisbon Express Database Global Brand Database for GIs PLUTO Plant Variety Database GENIE Database WIPO-Administered Treaties WIPO Lex - IP Laws, Treaties & Judgments WIPO Standards IP Statistics WIPO Pearl (Terminology) WIPO Publications Country IP Profiles WIPO Knowledge Center WIPO Technology Trends Global Innovation Index World Intellectual Property Report PCT – The International Patent System ePCT Budapest – The International Microorganism Deposit System Madrid – The International Trademark System eMadrid Article 6ter (armorial bearings, flags, state emblems) Hague – The International Design System eHague Lisbon – The International System of Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications eLisbon UPOV PRISMA Mediation Arbitration Expert Determination Domain Name Disputes Centralized Access to Search and Examination (CASE) Digital Access Service (DAS) WIPO Pay Current Account at WIPO WIPO Assemblies Standing Committees Calendar of Meetings WIPO Official Documents Development Agenda Technical Assistance IP Training Institutions COVID-19 Support National IP Strategies Policy & Legislative Advice Cooperation Hub Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISC) Technology Transfer Inventor Assistance Program WIPO GREEN WIPO's Pat-INFORMED Accessible Books Consortium WIPO for Creators WIPO ALERT Member States Observers Director General Activities by Unit External Offices Job Vacancies Procurement Results & Budget Financial Reporting Oversight

WIPO Launches Paperless UDRP Proceedings

Geneva, December 11, 2009
PR/2009/624

From Monday, December 14, 2009, the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center will launch essentially paperless UDRP procedures. This removes the requirement for mandatory filing and notification of paper pleadings in WIPO cases filed under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP)

This latest development of the UDRP is expected to substantially improve the efficiency of the mechanism by reducing the time and cost involved in submitting WIPO UDRP filings and to save up to one million pages of paper filed per year making it a greener and largely paperless procedure. While this leaner, more efficient procedure will become mandatory from March 1, 2010, ICANN in an announcement dated December 7, 2009, has signaled that UDRP providers may begin accepting electronic filings with immediate effect as long as parties also have the option of submitting hard copies.   

The modified Rules arose from a WIPO Center proposal made to ICANN in December 2008. Following an ICANN public comment process on the proposal in August 2009 which reflected broad support from UDRP stakeholders, an amendment package was submitted by WIPO to ICANN in September 2009. These modifications to the Rules governing the UDRP were approved by the ICANN Board at its Seoul meeting on October 30, 2009 with an implementation process subsequently announced by ICANN on December 7, 2009.  

In line with ICANN’s announcement the WIPO Center will, from Monday December 14, 2009, allow all parties in UDRP cases administered by WIPO to submit electronic-only filings, using email. Those parties who elect to do so may be further guided by the modified WIPO Supplemental Rules, which have been slightly revised for this specific purpose (as pre-published with the WIPO amendment package sent to ICANN in September 2009). 

The modified WIPO Supplemental Rules contain guidance on formatting modalities for electronic-only filing of UDRP cases. Parties who do not yet wish to use the new paperless option remain guided by the existing WIPO Supplemental Rules; such parties may continue to file in hard copy until February 28, 2010. The newly modified UDRP Rules continue to contain safeguards to ensure fair and effective notification of the complaint to the respondent.

Additional information about the new procedure, including modified filing guidelines, model pleadings for both parties and FAQs will be available on the website of the WIPO Center.

For more information, please contact the News and Media Division at WIPO:
  • Tel: (+41 22) 338 81 61 / 338 72 24
  • E-mail