Decisión del Panel Administrativo nº D2016-1579 of WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, September 15, 2016 (case Audi AG v. Claus Linder)

• Resolution Date: September 15, 2016
• Issuing Organization: WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center
• Decision: Transfer
• Dominio: Generic Domains

WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center

ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION

Audi AG v. Claus Linder

Case No. D2016-1579

1. The Parties

The Complainant is Audi AG of Ingolstadt, Germany represented by HK2 Rechtsanwälte, Germany.

The Respondent is Claus Linder of Fichtenau, Germany.

2. The Domain Name and Registrar

The disputed domain names [audibank.online] and [audizentrum.online] are respectively registered with PDR Ltd. d/b/a PublicDomainRegistry.com and NameCheap, Inc. (the “Registrars”).

3. Procedural History

The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on August 3, 2016. On August 3, 2016, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrars a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain names. On August 4, 2016, the Registrars transmitted by email to the Center their verification responses confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details. On August 5, 2016, the Complainant submitted an amendment to the Complaint.

The Center verified that the Complaint together with the amendment to 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 and 4, the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on August 8, 2016. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5, the due date for Response was August 28, 2016. The Respondent submitted an informal communication in German on August 8, 2016. No formal response was submitted.

The Center appointed Torsten Bettinger as the sole panelist in this matter on September 1, 2016. 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 one of the largest car manufacturers in the world, delivering more than one million Audi cars worldwide in 2015.

The Complainant is the owner of many trademark registrations for AUDI, including international registration no. 622242, registered on July 5, 1994, and AUDI-BANK, including European Union Trade Mark no. 000018812, registered on May 26, 1998, in a variety of countries and jurisdictions, including...