The Complainant is NEXANS of Paris, France, represented by Cabinet Bruno Lhermet, France.
The Respondent is Zhou Lei / EFFCY of Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. 2. The Domain Name and Registrar
The disputed domain name is registered with PDR Ltd. d/b/a PublicDomainR (the “Registrar”). 3. Procedural History
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on June 17, 2015. On June 17, 2015, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On June 25, 2015, the Registrar transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details.
The Center verified that the Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on June 26, 2015. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was July 16, 2015. On July 13, 2015, the Center receives emails from the Respondent in Chinese, indicating he does not understand English. The Respondent did not submit any formal response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent of the proceeding to panel appointment on July 17, 2015.
The Center appointed Jonathan Agmon as the sole panelist in this matter on July 31, 2015. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7. 4. Factual Background
The Complainant is a French Company. The Complainant is the worldwide leader in the cable industry offering extensive ranges of cables and cable system solutions for all different kinds of markets. The Complainant was founded in 1897; it has more than 26,000 employees in 40 countries and its net sale were EUR 6.4 billion in 2014.
The Complainant is the owner of numerous trademark registrations for the NEXANS mark around the world. For example: China Registration No. 3065487 – NEXANS of May 7, 2003; International Registration No. 748932 – NEXANS of December 8, 2000; and many more.
Through extensive use around the world, the NEXANS trademark has generated vast good will and has become well known and recognized with the Complainant.
The Complainant has also developed a presence on the Internet and is the owner of 143 domain names which contain “Nexans”. For example: , and .
The disputed domain name was registered on July 26, 2012.
The disputed domain name resolved to a website which contained the logo trademark of the Complainant – NEXANS. However, nowadays the disputed domain name resolves to a parked page. 5. Parties’ Contentions A. Complainant
The Complainant argues that the disputed domain name directly incorporates the Complainant’s well-known registered trademark NEXANS, and the mere addition of the country identifier “cn” and a hyphen is not sufficient to distinguish it from the Complainant’s trademark. The Complainant further contends that on the contrary, their presence is likely to increase the risk that Internet users will be confused into associating the disputed domain name with the Complainant and its NEXANS trademark.
The Complainant further argues that the Respondent used the disputed domain name to attract Internet users to its website where it offers alleged NEXANS products along with other brands marketed by the Respondent.
The Complainant further argues that the disputed domain name was resolved to a website which contained the stylized NEXANS logo. The Complainant further contends that this use made by the Respondent strongly suggests that there is a connection with the Complainant.
The Complainant further argues that the use of the Complainant’s NEXANS trademark strongly suggests there is an official or authorized link with the Complainant.
The Complainant further argues that it is undeniable that the Respondent was aware of the Complainant’s trademark prior to that acquisition of the disputed domain name and the establishment of the Respondent’s website.
The Complainant further argues that the Respondent is not known by the disputed domain name, nor does the Respondent claim to have made legitimate, noncommercial use of the disputed domain name.
The Complainant further argues that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
The Complainant further argues that it has sent the Respondent a couple of cease and desist letters and tried to contact the Respondent in different ways of which the Respondent avoided.
The Complainant further argues that it has never granted permission to the Respondent to register the disputed domain name. The Complainant further contends that the Respondent has registered the disputed domain name to intentionally attempt to attract visitors to the disputed domain name by creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainant’s trademark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of the Respondent’s website or location or a product or service on the Respondent’s website or location.
For all of the above reasons, the Complainant requests the transfer of the disputed domain name. B. Respondent
The Respondent did not formally reply to the Complainant’s contentions. The Respondent’s email dated July 13, 2015 indicated that it does not understand English. The Center replied in both Chinese and English stating that pursuant to paragraph 11 of the Rules, as the language of the Registration Agreement is English, and the Complaint was filed in English, the Center will proceed in English in this case. 6. Discussion and Findings A. Identical or Confusingly Similar
Paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy requires the Complainant to show that the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights.
A registered trademark provides a clear indication that the rights in the mark shown on the trademark certificate belong to its respective owner.
The Complainant is the owner of numerous trademark registrations for the NEXANS mark around the world. For example: China Registration No. 3065487 – NEXANS of May 7, 2003; International Registration No. 748932 – NEXANS of December 8, 2000; and many more.
The Complainant has also developed a presence on the Internet and is the owner of 143 domain names which contain the name “Nexans”. For example: , and .
The disputed domain name is identical to the registered trademark NEXANS apart from the addition of a hyphen “-” and the geographical term “cn”, which is the ISO country code for China. The disputed domain name integrates the Complainant’s trademark NEXANS in its entirety, as a dominant element.
The addition of a hyphen “-” is considered to be a mere non-significant element and the addition of the geographical term “cn” does not serve sufficiently to distinguish or differentiate the disputed domain name from the Complainant’s NEXANS trademark as “cn” stands for country of China, where the Complainant also conducts business. It is clear that the most prominent element in the disputed domain name is the term “Nexans”. Consequently, this panel finds that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant’s NEXANS trademark.
Previous UDRP panels have found that the mere addition of a not sufficiently differentiating element in the domain name does not avoid a finding of confusing similarity with trademark: “[t]he mere addition of a descriptive term to an identical trademark has been repeatedly held by previous panels as not sufficient to avoid confusion between the domain name and the trademark.” (Red Bull GmbH v. Chai Larbthanasub,WIPO Case No. D2003-0709). Indeed, “the incorporation of a trademark in its entirety is sufficient to establish that a domain name is identical or confusingly similar to the Complainant’s registered mark” (Britannia Building Society v. Britannia Fraud Prevention,WIPO Case No. D2001-0505).
Also, the addition of a gTLD “.com” to the disputed domain name does not avoid confusing similarity. See, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG v. Macalve e-dominios S.A.,WIPO Case No. D2006-0451 and Telstra Corporation Limited v. Nuclear Marshmallows,WIPO Case No. D2000-0003. Thus, the generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) “.com” is typically without legal significance since use of a gTLD is technically required to operate a domain name and it does not serve to identify the source of the goods or services provided by the registrant of the disputed domain name.
Consequently, the Panel finds that the Complainant has proven that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the trademark in which the Complainant has rights. B. Rights or Legitimate Interests
Once the complainant establishes a prima facie case that the respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name, the burden of production shifts to the respondent to show that it has rights or legitimate interests in respect to the disputed domain name. WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, Second Edition (“WIPO Overview 2.0”), paragraph 2.1.
In the present case, the Complainant has demonstrated to the Panel that the Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name and the Respondent had failed to assert any such rights or legitimate interests.
The Panel finds that the Complainant has established a prima facie case in this regard, inter alia, due to the fact that the Complainant has not licensed or otherwise permitted the Respondent to use the NEXANS trademark, or a variation thereof.
The Respondent has not submitted a response and did not provide any evidence to show any rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name that is sufficient to rebut the Complainant’s prima facie case.
Accordingly, the Panel finds that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name. C. Registered and Used in Bad Faith
The Complainant must show that the Respondent registered and is using the disputed domain name in bad faith (Policy, paragraph 4(a)(iii)). Paragraph 4(b) of the Policy provides circumstances that may evidence bad faith under paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy.
The Complainant has submitted evidence, which shows that the Respondent registered the disputed domain name long after the Complainant registered its trademark. According to the evidence filed by the Complainant and the trademark search performed by the Panel, the Complainant has owned a registration for the NEXANS trademark in China since at least the year 2003. It is suggestive of the Respondent’s bad faith in these particular circumstances that the trademark, owned by the Complainant, was registered long before the registration of the disputed domain name (Sanofi-Aventis v. Abigail Wallace,WIPO Case No. D2009-0735).
The Complainant provided evidence to demonstrate its trademark’s vast goodwill. “It is very unlikely that the Respondent would have registered the Domain Names unless he knew either the existence of the trademark SWAROVSKI or that the Domain Names at issue might be of some type of economic advantage” (see Swarovski Aktiengesellschaft v. James Johnson,WIPO Case No. D2012-0080). It is therefore unlikely that the Respondent had no knowledge of the Complainant upon registering the disputed domain name.
Paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy provides that it will be evidence of bad faith registration and use by a respondent, if by using the disputed domain name, the respondent has intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to the website or online location to which the disputed domain name resolves, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant’s mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation or endorsement of the website or location or of a product or service on the website or location to which the disputed domain name resolves.
The disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant’s trademark. Previous UDRP panels have found that “[a] likelihood of confusion is presumed, and such confusion will inevitably result in the diversion of Internet traffic from the Complainant’s site to the Respondent’s site” (see E, Inc v. Triple E Holdings Limited,WIPO Case No. D2006-1095). To this end, prior UDRP panels have established that attracting Internet traffic by using a domain name that is identical or confusingly similar to a registered trademark may be evidence of bad faith under paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy.
The Respondent’s use of the highly distinctive trademark and logo of the Complainant on the website at the disputed domain name is also suggestive of the Respondent’s bad faith. It was held in previous UDRP decisions that it is presumptive that using a highly distinctive trademark with a longstanding reputation is intended to make an impression of an association with the Complainant (see Swarovski Aktiengesellschaft v. fan wu,WIPO Case No. D2012-0065).
Thus, it would have been pertinent for the Respondent to provide an explanation of its choice in the disputed domain name. However, the Respondent has chosen not to respond to the Complainant’s allegations in the Complaint and this leads the Panel to conclude that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used by the Respondent in bad faith with the intent to create an impression of an association with the Complainant and its products and services, and profit therefrom.
Indeed, “when a domain name is so obviously connected with a Complainant, its very use by a registrant with no connection to the Complainant suggests ‘opportunistic bad faith.’” (Tata Sons Limited v. TATA Telecom Inc/T, Mr. Singh,WIPO Case No. D2009-0671).
From the evidence submitted by the Complainant it is clear that the Respondent used the disputed domain name to promote other products along with alleged Complainant’s products. Using the disputed domain name to promote these services associated to the products offered by the Complainant, without the Complainant’s authorization, is clear evidence that the Respondent registered and was using the disputed domain name with knowledge of the Complainant and its trademark, and indicates that the Respondent’s primary intent with respect to the disputed domain name is to trade off on the value of these. The Respondent’s actions therefore constitute bad faith. (See Herbalife International, Inc. v. Surinder S. Farmaha,WIPO Case No. D2005-0765, stating that “the registration of a domain name with the knowledge of the complainant’s trademark registration amounts to bad faith”.)
Further, the Complainant submitted evidence proving that the Respondent has incorporated the NEXANS marks and logos on its website, this use is made in order to attract consumers for commercial gain by purporting to sell services for the alleged Complainant’s products. That past practice confirms not only the Respondent’s awareness of the Complainant and its products, but also the Respondent’s actual use of the Complainant’s name in bad faith (see Swarovski Aktiengesellschaft v. Tevin Duhaime,WIPO Case No. D2012-2170).
The Panel also finds that the Respondent’s attempt to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to its website with the intent to creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainant’s trademarks and its affiliation with the Respondent’s website falls under paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy.
Lastly, the Complainant sent cease and desist letters to the Respondent and tried to contact the Respondent in several ways with no success. The Respondent failed to reply with the Complainant’s requests. This constitutes additional evidence of the Respondent’s bad faith (see Alstom v. Yulei,WIPO Case No. D2007-0424).
Based on the evidence presented to the Panel, including the late registration of the disputed domain name, the distinctiveness of the Complainant’s trademark and the Respondent’s use of the disputed domain name, and the failure of the Respondent to respond to the cease and desist letters the Panel draws the inference that the disputed domain name was registered and used in bad faith.
Accordingly, having regard to the circumstances of this particular case, the Panel finds that the Complainant has met its burden under paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy. 7. Decision
For the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the disputed domain name be transferred to the Complainant.
Jonathan Agmon
Sole Panelist
Date: August 13, 2015
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