REGISTRATION DOCUMENT AND FINANCIAL REPORT - Iliad

6. OVERVIEW OF THE GROUP’S BUSINESS
6.6 REGULATORY SITUATION
The rules for allocating domain names are set out in the AFNIC’s naming charter. This charter and the allocation
rules are updated regularly. The allocation rules currently in force are as follows:
• the allocation of a domain name in each subdomain of the “.fr” domain is governed by specific rules;
• persons identifiable in the online databases of court registries or of the INPI or the INSEE (companies,
trademark owners, local authorities, professional associations) can register the domain names of their choice,
provided they comply with the syntax rules and do not try to register a name which is included in the list of
prohibited terms;
• those registering domain names must ensure that their registration request is not in breach of prior rights held
by third parties – particularly intellectual property rights or the right to a name – or of competition rules; the
AFNIC does not carry out any checks in this respect;
• the registration of domain names in the “.tm.fr” subdomain is only available to applicants who can produce a
trademark registration certificate;
• the “.nom.fr” subdomain is only available to individuals of French nationality or residing on French territory
who wish to use their surname as a domain name; and
• domain names can be registered using the “.com.fr” subdomain without the need to produce supporting
documentation, provided that these domain names have not already been registered in another subdomain.
Although the French courts have now accepted that the use of a term on an Internet site or as a domain name can
infringe trademark rights, the outcome of any potential dispute in this area remains uncertain. This uncertainty is
due in particular to the fact that the scope of trademark rights is limited, either geographically or by the type of
products and services covered by the trademark registration, while the use of a term on the Internet can result in a
risk of confusion or encourage unfair competition far beyond such limits.
Iliad – Registration Document 2007 - 59