Swiss Government buys SCHWEIZ.CH for CHF 50'000 - after previously having won UDRP

[typist]

A WIPO/UDRP Decision awarded Schweiz.ch ("Switzerland" in German) to the Swiss Federal Government, however the current registrant threatened to fight the decision in court. The Government settled and now agreed to pay 50'000 Swiss Francs (roughly 42K USD).

source (in German):
http://nzz.ch/2006/09/06/il/newzzERRCGFWX-12.html

 

[Jonathan]

That's interesting. I don't know that I'd heard of that happening before.

 

[simon]

its wierd , especially after winning UDRP

 

[beatz]

Makes sense.

Wipo decisions don't neccessarily always equal or meet the existing laws of the respective country.

Especially in Germany, Austria and Swiss there have been court decisions that now work as precedents where it was made clear neither a city or a state or government has any better rights to a city ot country name than anybody else.

So chances are good the swiss government would have lost the case in court.

So i guess that's why.

 

[octobus]

Above all, it's simply fair to compensate him accordingly.

 

[Ian]

I think that was the only fair decision to placate both parties concerned!

 

[hugegrowth]

Money well spent imo, cheaper than paying lawyer fees for a court case and avoiding risk of losing.