Hi, I recently register the domain name " ORGAN.FR " through EURODNS. This morning they emailed me and said First of all I have never heard of anyone having to drop a domain because it was a city name? Secondly the term ORGAN I had registered had the meaning of a ' Human Organ ' and last but not least I am the owner of " ORGAN.COM ". Does anyone know if this is something they are allowed do or is it someone trying to con me into leaving the domain go so someone else can register it? Any information would be very helpful Thanks, Stephen
It looks like if that is a valid town name in France then you may not be able to register it. https://wiki.rrpproxy.net/FR#Reserved_domain_names Reserved terms The list of terms that are "reserved" and can be registered only subject to special conditions, based on the identity or rights of the applicant include, in particular Technical Internet terms Names of regulated professions; Terms relating to government operation; Names of the signatory countries of the Paris Convention; Dedicated names or terms of international organizations; Names of French towns and villages in their base form: the list of reserved terms can be consulted directly on the INSEE website; The name of the French Republic, its national institutions and public services, either alone or associated with words referring to such institutions or services The name of a local authority, inter-municipal agreement with agglomeration-wide fiscal resources, either alone or associated with words or abbreviations referring to local institutions The name of someone in office, associated with words referring to their elective functions. Under Article R.20-44-43-IV, provisions 7 to 9 do not prevent the renewal of domain names registered before the enactment of France's Domain Name Allocation and Management Act 2007, amending the French Electronic Communications and Telecommunications Act: By a company whose name is identical to the registered name and which registered that name as a trademark before 1st January 2004 By an association whose mission is to defend and promote a protected "designation of origin" for which the name has been registered. Looks like a legit block based on the terms of registering a .fr domain. Hope it helps.
And believe it or not, there is indeed a place named Organ in France: http://www.francethisway.com/places/a/organ-hautes-pyrenees.php It would've been better, of course, if they just blocked that from being registered. Why not is probably a matter of convenience, albeit a little too convenient maybe. But nah, I don't really see any conspiracy. Inconvenience, but not conspiracy.
I think your domain name violates the trademark which is easy to make people confused between name of a city and your domain name.
i think what they did is right. But you got a refund of what you paid for it anyway. You registered it in good faith, i suppose, so nothing to worry. Just let go of the domain and you are safe.