news Former France.com domain owner asks Supreme Court to consider case

[NickB]

"Jean-Noël Frydman, who owned France.com from 1994 until 2018, wants the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in."........

https://domainnamewire.com/2021/09/...in-owner-asks-supreme-court-to-consider-case/

2018 Namepros thread below

"France seizes France.com from man who’s had it since ‘94, so he sues"

https://www.namepros.com/threads/fr...-it-since-94-so-he-sues.1078710/#post-6692761

 

[tech4]

A trademark for the word "France"...what

What line did this guy cross to lose his domain?

I think he sued in France. Basically giving the French Government jurisdiction to preside over who should "win". So the French gov...decided that they should win.

Basically the US court say that, by suing and giving the oversea court the power to preside over your case...and they have spoken.....there is nothing the US court can do now!

Now maybe suing in the EU court ? Or at least go to France and meet the department of tourism and ask them for some money ?

 

[tech4]

There is wikipedia link on "Atout France" and foreign diplomacy .... There are multiple pages in English and in French.

Adding entries like lawsuit, stolen domain, and controversy about France.com could help. Even with Ausuk ...big media will help alot since its one more reason for Ausuk to exist ....

 

[CraigD]

This started with the owner of France.com filing a trademark dispute.

And the French stepped in...

AUKUS aside, I think it was a doomed case from that point on.

Remember the TM disputes over Champagne?

 

[BrandEntrance.com]

My french isn't as good as it used to be but the last time I checked the French called their country "La France".

France is an English word.

 

[Future Sensors]

The site seems to focus on positive news only.

 

[tech4]

Yeah, with a handy little "TM" next to France in the logo

Anh when was this changed ? Is it recently ?

 

[DomainHacks]

My french isn't as good as it used to be but the last time I checked the French called their country "La France".

France is an English word.

no

 

[BrandEntrance.com]

"La" is an article.. that's like saying "The" United States.

It's still the name of their country in French.

If I owned UnitedStates.com then the US Govt wouldn't be able to claim it from me. The country is called USA for short. The United States of America.

But they could probably claim TheUnitedStatesOfAmerica.com. Anyway .gov is for governments. The guy should have changed his name to Francecom.

 

[BrandEntrance.com]

... accidental

 

[BrandEntrance.com]

Interesting. There are a few interpretations about that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_of_France

Great reading. Just reinforced what I stated. The word France is used by some romantic languages etc and maybe built from the old word Frankreich but it's still not 'France' in French. It's 'La France'. Here it is called Frankrike and is registered privately and I bet they wouldn't complain. So why go after the English name and a guy who has had it for a long time. They should have bought it.

Anyway I really thought the French were super patriotic and for the french language. I guess they have realised that English is just as good.

 

[CraigD]

. So why go after the English name and a guy who has had it for a long time.

Came across this in relation to that little TM next to the word France:

Partner with France / avec la France
https://www.proparco.fr/en/partner-france

 

[BrandEntrance.com]

"In 2019, the French Government decided to gather all French public operators acting internationally under a “France” label, with the aim of unifying and increasing the clarity of France’s action abroad."

Great, France changes their rules for how the world works in 2019 and everybody has to just follow their bandwagon. (I truly believe they would lose this case in a European Court). Is this how this works? I am assuming that this is the reason they went after france.com.

 

[CraigD]

"In 2019, the French Government decided to gather all French public operators acting internationally under a “France” label, with the aim of unifying and increasing the clarity of France’s action abroad."

Great, France changes their rules for how the world works in 2019 and everybody has to just follow their bandwagon. (I truly believe they would lose this case in a European Court). Is this how this works? I am assuming that this is the reason they went after france.com.

You can read.
Thankyou.

 

[eurorealtor]

In 2012 I registered CzechRepublic.fr but later on the registrar removed the domain from my account because of TM. According to Whois in 2014 someone else has regged the name and it looks like it is up for sale now, so I guess their registrar has a bigger balls?

 

[CraigD]

Not sure about your groove here Craig. If I stepped on your digits then I am sorry. Meant no harm. Yes, I can read in several languages each day.

Anyway I am blockading France now!

No issue with you mate.

I was just very tired, and the info was there to be read.

From France's point of view, it is a major international business domain, and will likely stay with them. I obviously feel bad for the original owner, but If a country cannot own or enforce the trademark of their own name...

 

[honestbobby]

Very sad... Such a valuable domain.... I really wish he gets it back...

 

[Business Brands]

Punitive damages against fronce that is.

 

[Jean-Noel Frydman]

Came across this in relation to that little TM next to the word France:


Thank you, that's very useful!

 

[wwwulff]

Supreme Court declines to hear France.com case​

https://domainnamewire.com/2021/12/13/supreme-court-declines-to-hear-france-com-case/

 

[jhm]

A trademark for the word "France"...what

What line did this guy cross to lose his domain?

 

[jhm]

I think he sued in France. Basically giving the French Government jurisdiction to preside over who should "win". So the French gov...decided that they should win.

Basically the US court say that, by suing and giving the oversea court the power to preside over your case...and they have spoken.....there is nothing the US court can do now!

Now maybe suing in the EU court ? Or at least go to France and meet the department of tourism and ask them for some money ?

Sounds a bit corrupt (strong word)...call it strategic

 

[tech4]

Sounds a bit corrupt (strong word)...call it strategic

What do you mean "corrupt", strategic ? I don't understand.

 

[jhm]

What do you mean "corrupt", strategic ? I don't understand.

The fact he brought a lawsuit in France, related to his "France" domain, he made a mistake doing that. Maybe I'm using the wrong word, but its really within the government of France's favour this situation. They took advantage of him, and he didn't get paid

 

[tech4]

The fact he brought a lawsuit in France, related to his "France" domain, he made a mistake doing that. Maybe I'm using the wrong word, but its really within the government of France's favour this situation. They took advantage of him, and he didn't get paid

Ohh yead, definitely sad...