On 2 December 2025, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Internet Commerce Association (ICA) published the Final Report prepared by the WIPO-ICA UDRP Review Project Team, following an extensive expert-led review of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP).

Background and purpose of the review

Nearly 25 years after its adoption, the UDRP remains the main global mechanism for resolving clear trade mark-based cybersquatting cases. Over this period, tens of thousands of disputes have been decided under the Policy, creating a well-developed and largely consistent body of case law.

At the same time, the importance of the UDRP has increased significantly due to the growing economic value of domain names, the rise of more complex forms of abuse (including phishing and online fraud), and the upcoming Phase 2 review by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) through its Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO).

As a result, WIPO and the ICA gathered an independent project team of experienced UDRP panelists, counsel, brand owners, registrars, registries, and academic experts. Rather than redesigning the UDRP, the Review Project drew on long-standing practical experience to help ICANN identify consensus-based improvements and determine which areas were best left unchanged.

Key insights and recommendations

According to the Final Report, the UDRP continues to operate effectively and does not require extensive reform. The Project Team has highlighted several practical recommendations that are well-suited for prioritisation during ICANN’s Phase 2 review, including:

• Greater procedural consistency on supplemental filings and complaint withdrawals;
• Fixed deadlines for payment of additional panel fees in three-member panel cases;
• Enhanced ICANN oversight of registrar compliance, including registrar training and streamlined post-decision transfers;
• Standardised registrar verification procedures and disclosure of key registration data; and
• Improved notice to respondents through additional registrar notifications.

To improve transparency and consistency, the Report recommends identifying dissenting panelists and implementing a clear, section-by-section format for UDRP decisions across providers. It also supports neutral educational resources for complainants and respondents and suggests possible ICANN financial support for the UDRP, including fee relief for SMEs and non-profit organisations.

Building on the WIPO Overview, the Project Team further advises codifying consensus case law through a cross-provider summary of jurisprudence outside ICANN’s formal policy-making process.

Areas requiring further development

The Report highlights several issues where solutions are considered desirable and achievable but require further development. These include establishing a possible appeals instance, introducing “true cancellation” as a remedy with appropriate safeguards, addressing abuse involving third-level domain names, narrowly defined reconsideration of the “registration and use in bad faith” requirement under the Policy’s third element, and the possibility of expedited procedures in clear cases of abuse.

At the same time, the Project Team unanimously supported retaining the status quo on several complex topics, including “loser pays”, mandatory mediation, and formal limitation periods, concluding that such changes would add complexity without clear systemic benefits.

Consensus-based implementation

The Final Report calls for a pragmatic, rolling implementation approach that allows consensus-based improvements to be adopted promptly, without waiting for the completion of the entire Phase 2 review. This approach is intended to streamline the process and minimise delays, while safeguarding the stability and predictability of the UDRP in future reviews.