The decision came this month from WIPO’s Arbitration and
Mediation Centre, based in Geneva. The domain name barcelona.com
was registered in 1996 by Concepcio Riera, a Barcelona resident.
Earlier this year, she transferred the name to a company, Barcelona
Inc., operated by her together with her husband. The web site of
the address offers news and tourism information on the city.
However, the WIPO arbitrator did not consider this portal
constituted evidence of a legitimate right to the domain name. The
arbitrator also said that the name was being used in bad faith:
“...it is obvious that the main and only
purpose of such plan is to commercially exploit information about
the city of Barcelona in Spain and its province, particularly,
using the information prepared and provided by (the city) as part
of its public service."
The arbitrator suggested that it is reasonable to assume that
anyone using the address Barcelona.com "would normally expect to
reach some official body or representative of the city of Barcelona
itself."
The decision has caused alarm to other commercial entities with
domain names that are the same as place names.
