About the IPC

 

The Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC) is one of the stakeholder groups and constituencies of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) charged with the responsibility of advising the ICANN Board on policy issues relating to the management of the domain name system. Information regarding membership in the IPC or other areas of interest may be obtained by clicking on the links at the top of this page.

We represent the views and interests of owners of intellectual property worldwide, with a particular emphasis on trademark, copyright, and related intellectual property rights and their effect and interaction with the DNS.  The IPC works to ensure that these views, including minority views, are reflected in the recommendations made by the GNSO Council to the ICANN Board.

The IPC also reviews and raises all intellectual property matters, including any proposals, issues, policies, or otherwise, which may affect intellectual property, particularly as it interfaces with the DNS, and provides the GNSO and the ICANN Board timely and expert advice before these bodies make any decision or take any position on intellectual property matters.

We also represent the interests and concerns of consumers who depend on strong intellectual property protections as an essential element of consumer confidence, consumer trust and consumer protection.

Our members include individuals, companies, law firms, and intellectual property organizations from around the world.

The IPC is one of three constituencies in the GNSO’s Commercial Stakeholder Group (CSG), along with the Business Constituency (BC) and the Internet Service Providers and Connectivity Providers Constituency (ISPCP).  The Constituencies of the CSG work together to protect the varied interests of the private sector.

The IPC has been at the forefront of global advocacy efforts for transparency and accountability in the DNS, in support of protection and enforcement of trademark and copyright rights online. The IPC represents the interests of intellectual property owners during the planning, and implementation and roll-out of ICANN’s New gTLD Program, where over 1,000 new gTLDs will ultimately be part of the domain name landscape.

For more information, download the IPC brochure, HERE.