Arab Center for Domain Name Dispute Resolution (ACDR) Stops Accepting UDRP Cases

The Arab Center for Domain Name Dispute Resolution (ACDR) recently announced that it would cease operations, becoming the third ICANN-recognized UDRP (Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy) dispute resolution center to cease operations. This change marks the end of the center and also means further adjustments to the domain name dispute resolution mechanism worldwide.

Background and reasons for ACDR's cessation of operations

Founded in 2013, ACDR is a non-profit organization co-founded by the Arab Intellectual Property Mediation and Arbitration Association (AIPMAS) and the Arab Intellectual Property Association (ASIP). It became the fifth ICANN-recognized UDRP dispute resolution center in the world and the first institution in the Middle East and North Africa to provide a uniform domain name dispute resolution policy. However, despite high industry expectations in its early days, the number of cases handled by ACDR has been relatively limited.

According to the March 2023 "Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) Status Report" and its subsequent revisions, ACDR has only handled a small number of cases, most of which were concentrated in 2017 and 2019. By 2020, ACDR had handled only nine cases, showing that the center had limited influence in the market. Due to the small number of cases, there seemed to be no sufficient reason to continue operating, so this may have led to its closure.

The current status of other UDRP dispute resolution centers

After ACDR ceased operations, there are still five active UDRP providers in the world that continue to provide domain name dispute resolution services:

WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)

NAF (Forum)

CAC (Czech Dispute Resolution Center)

CIIDRC (Canadian International Internet Dispute Resolution Center)

ADNDRC (Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Center)

In addition, although the "CPR: International Conflict Prevention and Resolution Agency" that once provided services to ICANN has stopped providing UDRP services, it continues to be active in other areas.

Source: Daniel Dingeldey