22 Describe proposed measures for protection of geographic names at the second and other levels in the applied-for gTLD

Prototypical answer:

Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. will protect names with national or geographic significance by reserving the country and territory names at the second level and at all other levels within the TLD, as per the requirements in the New TLD Registry Agreement (Specification 5, paragraph 5).
Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. will employ a series of rules to translate the geographical names required to be reserved by Specification 5, paragraph 5 to a form consistent with the ʺhost namesʺ format used in domain names.
Considering the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) advice “Principles regarding new gTLDs”, these domains will be blocked, at no cost to governments, public authorities, or IGOs, before the TLD is introduced (Sunrise), so that no parties may apply for them. Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. will publish a list of these names before Sunrise, so our registrar and registrants can be aware that these names are reserved.
Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. will define a procedure so that governments can request the above reserved domain(s) if they would like to take possession of them. This procedure will be based on existing methodology developed for the release of country names in the .INFO TLD. For example, Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. will require a written request from the country’s GAC representative, or a written request from the country’s relevant Ministry or Department. Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. will allow the designated beneficiary (the Registrant) to register the name, with an accredited Afilias Registrar, possibly using an authorization number transmitted directly to the designated beneficiary in the country concerned.
As defined by Specification 5, paragraph 5, such geographic domains may be released to the extent that Registry Operator reaches agreement with the applicable government(s). Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. will work with respective GAC representatives of the country’s relevant Ministry of Department to obtain their release of the names to the Applicant.
As defined by Specification 5, paragraph 5, such geographic domains may be released to the extent that Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. reaches agreement with the applicable government(s). Registry operator will work with respective GAC representatives of the country’s relevant Ministry or Department and the respective ccTLD-Manager if necessary to obtain their release of the names to Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd..
Regarding GAC advice regarding second-level domains not specified via Specification 5, paragraph 5: All domains awarded to registrants are subject to the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), and to any properly-situated court proceeding. Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. will ensure appropriate procedures to allow governments, public authorities or IGO’s to challenge abuses of names with national or geographic significance at the second level. In its registry-registrar agreement, and flowing down to registrar-registrant agreements, Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. will institute a provision to suspend domains names in the event of a dispute. Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd. may exercise that right in the case of a dispute over a geographic name.

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