Her Majesty the Queen and the country of New Zealand brought a UDRP against the registrant of NEWZEALAND.COM.  Regardless of your view as to whether country names or appellations of origin should be protected, they’re not covered by the UDRP.  NZ attempted to argue that because NEW ZEALAND is an appellation of origin, it is a trademark as well.  The panel was having none of that and found the Queen to be guilty of reverse domain name highjacking.  (Wipo Decision No. D2002-0754 – not posted yet but look back here in a day or two).

Now, this same country was able to pry away NEWZEALAND.BIZ from this same registrant.  Appeal?

I worry for the presiding panelist, Tony Willoughby.  If you hold that your Queen is a reverse domain name hijacker, are you imprisoned in the Tower of London?