Source: https://www.legi-internet.ro/jurisprudenta-it-romania/decizii-ompi/frumecarro-frumecar-sl-v-intercont-srl.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 08:40:51+00:00

Document:
Frumecar, S.L. v. Intercont, S.R .L.
The Complainant is Frumecar, S.L. of San GiníƒÂ©s (Murcia), Spain, represented internally.
The Respondent is Intercont, S.R .L. of Iasi, Romania, represented by Mrs. Doina-Laila Giurcanu, Romania.
The disputed domain name <frumecar.ro> (-Domain Nameââ‚¬Â) is registered with RNC.ro (-Registrarââ‚¬Â).
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the-Centerââ‚¬Â) on August 18, 2010. On August 18, 2010, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in connection with the Domain Name. On August 19, 2010, 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-Policyââ‚¬Â or-UDRPââ‚¬Â), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the-Rulesââ‚¬Â), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the-Supplemental Rulesââ‚¬Â).
On August 24, 2010 the Center forwarded a notice to the Complainant stating that the Complainant should either: (a) provide evidence of an agreement between the parties that the proceeding should be in the English language; or (b) translate the Complaint into Romanian; or (c) submit a request for English to be the language of the proceedings. On August 31, 2010, the Complainant requested an extension of time to submit a Romanian translation of the Complaint and on August 31, 2010 the Center granted the Complainant 14 days to translate the Complaint into Romanian. On September 13, 2010 the Complainant filed a Romanian translation of the Complaint. 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 September 14, 2010. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was October 4, 2010. The Response was filed with the Center on October 1, 2010.
The Center appointed Gabriela Kennedy as the sole panelist in this matter on October 12, 2010. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted.
On October 20, 2010, the Complainant filed with the Center supplemental submissions in reply to the Respondent's Response and on October 21, 2010 the Panel accepted the Complainant's supplementary submissions.
Although the Registrar informed the Center that the language of the relevant registration agreement was Romanian, the Panel considers that the language of the present proceedings should be English, mainly because an applicant for the registration of a domain name with RNC.ro has no choice between the Romanian and English language as both may be legitimately used under the terms of the applicable RNC.ro rules for registration. By registering the Domain Name with RNC.ro, the Respondent accepted the use of both languages in dealing with the Domain Name. In addition, both the Respondentââ‚¬â„¢s Response and the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s supplementary submissions were filed solely in the English language, which indicates that both parties understand the English language.
In the circumstances, the Panel determines under paragraph 11(a) of the Rules that the language of these proceedings be English.
The Complainant is a Spanish company which supplies machinery and technology to the concrete industry. The Complainant the owner of two trade mark registrations in Spain as well as a Community Trade Mark (CTM) registration for the FRUMECAR mark, which cover inter alia, metallic silos, metals, other alloy components, transportable metallic buildings, industrial machinery, machines and machine tools, vehicles, building construction.
The Respondent registered the Domain Name on May 18, 2007. As at the date of the Complaint, the Domain Name was pointed to a parking page featuring the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s FRUMECAR trade mark indicating that the website is under construction (the-'Websiteââ‚¬Â). The Website also contains contact details for-Frumecar Romaniaââ‚¬Â, being identical to the contact details of the Respondent.
On September 5, 2008, the Complainant entered into an agreement for representation and trade agency with SC Forum Invest SRL (-Forum Investââ‚¬Â) whereby Forum Invest was to assist the Complainant with the sale of a concrete batching plant. The agreement commenced on September 5, 2008 and terminated upon payment of the commission payable by the Complainant to Forum Invest under the agreement. The agreement did not contemplate the use of the FRUMACAR trade mark by Forum Invest. Neither party has provided evidence relating to the relationship between the Respondent and Forum Invest. The Respondent made reference to having-ceded usage of the domain nameââ‚¬Â to Forum Invest and both parties refer to the Forum Invest and the Respondent interchangeably. From this it is assumed that Forum Invest is a related company of the Respondent. However, the exact relationship between the Respondent and Forum Invest is unclear from the evidence and the submissions of the parties.
(a) the Domain Name is confusingly similar to the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s FRUMECAR trade mark.
(h) the representation and agency agreement entered into between the parties is exclusively limited to the sale of a concrete batching plant.
(d) the Complainant offered to purchase the Domain Name and consequently the Respondent offered to sell the Domain Name to the Complainant for EUR 20,000.
The Panel accepts that the Complainant has rights in respect of the FRUMECAR trade mark on the basis of the three trade mark registrations owned by the Complainant for FRUMECAR, including the Community Trade Mark registration, which as of January 1, 2007 (the date of Romaniaââ‚¬â„¢s accession to the European Union) extended to cover Romania.
It is a well-established rule that in making an enquiry as to whether a trade mark is identical or confusingly similar to a domain name, the domain name extension, in this case-.roââ‚¬Â should be disregarded (Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG v. Pertshire Marketing, Ltd, WIPO Case No. D2006-0762).
The Panel notes that the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s CTM trade mark registration for FRUMECAR is a composite word and device mark (featuring the stylised word-FRUMECARââ‚¬Â along with a device featuring two letter-Fââ‚¬Âs), and this is the form that the trade mark is displayed on the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s website. While the Domain Name is therefore not identical to the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s trade mark, this is of no practical significance given that it is not possible for domain names to include design elements, and Internet users seek websites by typing in familiar words or names: Park Place Entertainment Corporation v. Mike Gorman, WIPO Case No. D2000-0699.
The Panel considers that the word-frumecarââ‚¬Â is the distinctive and dominant portion of the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s trade mark and is the term that consumers would likely use when referring to the Complainant. The Panel finds that the Domain Name is identical to the dominant portion of the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s FRUMECAR trade mark and Internet users who are familiar with the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s trade mark would be likely to assume that the Domain Name is related to the Complainant in some way. See Mentor ADI Recruitment Ltd (trading as Mentor Group) v. Teaching Driving Ltd., WIPO Case No. D2003-0654.
The Panel accordingly finds that the Domain Name is confusingly similar to the FRUMECAR mark in which the Complainant has rights, and that element 4(a)(i) of the Policy is satisfied.
The Panel finds that the evidence submitted by the Respondent is insufficient to show that the Respondent has any rights in any trade marks or service marks which are identical, similar or related to the Domain Name. Therefore, the Panel will assess the Respondentââ‚¬â„¢s rights in the Domain Name (or lack thereof) based on the Respondentââ‚¬â„¢s use of the Domain Name in accordance with the available record.
The Respondent contends that the as part of the commercial agreement with Forum Invest, the Complainant authorised the use of the FRUMECAR trade mark for the Domain Name. The Complainant denies that it provided any such approval or authorisation to use the FRUMECAR mark. The only evidence provided to the Panel in this respect is the agency agreement between the Complainant and Forum Invest, which is limited to a single transaction and which does not contemplate Forum Investââ‚¬â„¢s use of the FRUMECAR mark.
Based on this, the Panel accepts that the Complainant has not authorised the Respondent to use the FRUMECAR trade mark and that any connection that may have existed between the Complainant and the Respondent by virtue of the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s agreement with Forum Invest (the nature of which is unclear based on lack of evidence) was restricted to commercial distribution of a concrete plant and did not confer a right for Forum Invest (or the Respondent) to use the FRUMACAR trade mark. The Panel further accepts that there is insufficient evidence of record that the Respondent has become commonly known by the Domain Name.
The Panel notes that the Domain Name was registered by the Respondent prior to the registration of the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s FRUMAECAR community trademark. However, the Complainant had applied to register its FRUMECAR community trade mark prior to the Respondentââ‚¬â„¢s registration of the Domain Name and held two Spanish registrations for the FRUMECAR mark for a number of years prior. In any event, by the Respondentââ‚¬â„¢s own admission, it was aware of the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s FRUMECAR trade mark when registering the Domain Name.
At the time of the Complaint, the Domain Name resolved to a website which was under construction. The Website contained contact details identical to those of the Respondent, while referring to the Respondent as-Frumecar Romaniaââ‚¬Â. In addition, the Website contained numerous representations of the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s composite word and device trade mark along side the words-concrete plantââ‚¬Â,-mixersââ‚¬Â and-automationââ‚¬Â. The fact that the Respondent refers to itself as Frumecar Romania and lists products similar to the Complainant, while using identical device and word marks would suggest that the Website was being used in order to create an impression of association or affiliation with the Complainant, its marks and the goodwill attached to them. Using a domain name to intentionally trade on the fame or reputation of another constitutes unfair use, and cannot amount to a bona fide offering of goods or services: Philip Morris Incorporated v. Alex Tsypkin, WIPO Case No. D2002-0946; Madonna Ciccone, p/k/a Madonna v. Dan Parisi and-Madonna.comââ‚¬Â, WIPO Case No. D2000-0847.
The Panel accordingly finds that the Complainant has satisfied paragraph 4(a)(ii) of the Policy in respect of the Domain Name.
Evidence of bad faith includes actual or constructive notice of a well-known trade mark at the time of registration of a domain name by the respondent. See Samsonite Corporation v. Colony Holding, Claim No. FA94313 (Nat. Arb. Forum April 17, 2000). By the Respondentââ‚¬â„¢s own submissions, it was aware of the Complainant and its FRUMECAR trade mark at the time of registering the Domain Name.
The Panel finds that there is insufficient evidence of record that the Complainant authorised the registration of the Domain Name by the Respondent and therefore rejects the Respondentââ‚¬â„¢s submission that the Domain Name was registered in good faith.
According to the Respondentââ‚¬â„¢s own submissions, it continues to hold the dormant Website with a view to publish negative statements about the Complainant and its business. This clearly shows an intention to disrupt the business of the Complainant due to bad feelings as a result of the termination of a commercial relationship between the parties. This is certainly not consistent with using the Domain Name in good faith.
It is also relevant to the issue of bad faith that the Respondent offered to sell the Domain Name to the Complainant for an amount exceeding the Respondentââ‚¬â„¢s out of pocket expenses in relation to the Domain Name. While the Complainant did not refer to this offer in its Complaint or submit any evidence suggesting that such an offer was made by the Respondent, the Respondent submitted that it offered to sell the Domain Name to the Complainant for EUR 20,000. The Panel rejects the Respondentââ‚¬â„¢s submission that this amount is only intended to cover its expenses. It is well established that the offer to sell a domain name in excess of the out of pocket expenses of the respondent can be compelling evidence of bad faith. See The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska v. Bill Saedlo, WIPO Case No. D2000-0154; and Adamovske Strojirny v. Tatu Rautiainen, WIPO Case No. D2000-1394.
The Panel also finds that the Respondent, in reproducing the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s word and device mark and in referring to itself as-Frumecar Romaniaââ‚¬Â, is attempting to attract Internet users to the Website by creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s FRUMECAR trade mark as to the source, sponsorship and affiliation of the Website and with a view to attracting business from the Complainantââ‚¬â„¢s potential customers due to a perceived connection with the Complainant.
In the circumstances, the Panel finds that there is no basis on which to infer that the Respondent has used the Domain Name in any manner or for any purpose other than in bad faith, and paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy has been satisfied.
For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the Domain Name <frumecar.ro> be transferred to the Complainant.

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