The International Trademark Association (INTA) has expressed their support for concerns raised by key members of the US Congress regarding ICANN’s plan for new gTLDs who wrote to the organisation outlining concerns that any new strings introduced will not harm trademark holders and requesting assurance the public will have adequate opportunity to comment.

The letter from the chairman and ranking member of both the Senate and House judiciary committees asked ICANN to provide them “with further details about the steps ICANN is taking to fulfil its commitment to ensure that the New gTLD process will provide ‘a secure, stable marketplace’ with input from ‘the community as a whole.'”

INTA agrees that ICANN must implement stronger trademark protection mechanisms. Without them, brand owners will be forced to devote a substantial amount of resources to defending their trademarks and protecting their customers, since there will be more opportunities for criminals to harm consumers, which includes misleading online shoppers into purchasing dangerous counterfeit products.

The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a worldwide association of member companies and firms that support and advance trademarks and intellectual property as elements of global commerce.