The battle over the domain name France.com

In April of 2015, the State of France launched a legal battle – in France – to expropriate the domain name France.com, without any indemnification, from its rightful owner: the United States company France.com, Inc, claiming the latter had registered the domain name in bad faith and had not been authorized by the French state to use it.

This assertion is not only groundless and absurd, it’s entirely dishonest. This website presents the 20+ years of constant partnership between France.com and various entities and branches of the French government who were not only aware of France.com’s existence, but consistently encouraged and supported its initiatives and activities.

And so it is that after 25+ years of collaboration with France.com, Inc, the French Government and Atout France wanting to get the prized domain name France.com without paying for it, devised a way to abuse its power and deprive an American company of an American-based asset,  protected by US Trademark law.

Sounds incredible?

It is, but read on:

Registration of the domain name France.com

February 20, 1994

My name is Jean-Noel Frydman. I was born in France and, in the early 80’s, moved to New York to study film at New York…

Read more

Consulate General of France in Los Angeles

March 4, 1994

Consulate General of France in Los Angeles

Once our server was up and running and accessible through the address France.com , we started looking for media companies, government entities, startups and members…

Read more

Launch of France.com’s website

June 18, 1995

Launch of France.com’s website

Our very first website was released on June 18, 1995, and it included information about French culture, the Francophile community and a small section on…

Read more

France’s Ministry of Culture enthusiastically endorses Les Webs d’Or

December 10, 1995

France’s Ministry of Culture enthusiastically endorses Les Webs d’Or

Our early initiatives also brought support from other branches of the French government. Such was the case for Les Webs d’Or. By December of 1995…

Read more

French Embassy in Washington DC

February 5, 1996

French Embassy in Washington DC

France Online became the natural outside contractor when, in 1995 the French Embassy in Washington needed to build its first online presence. We had the…

Read more

France.com builds first website devoted to travel to France

November 10, 1997

France.com builds first website devoted to travel to France

In 1997, due to the overwhelming request from our web readers, France.com focused on providing information on travel to France, becoming the first website promoting…

Read more

French Affairs

October 15, 2002

French Affairs

Since 2002, Atout France has organized yearly events in the United States. The 2-day events, called French Affairs, take place in different American cities and…

Read more

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during Rendez-Vous en France annual trade show

March 21, 2009

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during Rendez-Vous en France annual trade show

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during French Affairs trade show

October 25, 2009

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during French Affairs trade show

France.com wins Atout France’s award for ‘Best Website’

October 25, 2009

France.com wins Atout France’s award for ‘Best Website’

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during Rendez-Vous en France annual trade show

March 30, 2010

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during Rendez-Vous en France annual trade show

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during French Affairs trade show

October 24, 2010

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during French Affairs trade show

France.com wins Atout France’s award for the tour operator with ‘The Most Diverse and Extensive Offer’

October 25, 2010

France.com wins Atout France’s award for the tour operator with ‘The Most Diverse and Extensive Offer’

France.com wins Atout France’s award for ‘Tour Operator of the Year’

October 25, 2010

France.com wins Atout France’s award for ‘Tour Operator of the Year’

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during Rendez-Vous en France annual trade show

March 29, 2011

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during Rendez-Vous en France annual trade show

Atout France registers US trademark, asserting ‘no claim to the exclusive right to use “France” in the US

September 20, 2011

Atout France registers US trademark, asserting ‘no claim to the exclusive right to use “France” in the US

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during French Affairs trade show

October 23, 2011

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during French Affairs trade show

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during Rendez-Vous en France annual trade show

March 27, 2012

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during Rendez-Vous en France annual trade show

       

Read more

France.com wins Atout France’s award for the tour operator with ‘The Most Diverse and Extensive Offer’

October 22, 2012

France.com wins Atout France’s award for the tour operator with ‘The Most Diverse and Extensive Offer’

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during French Affairs trade show

October 22, 2012

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during French Affairs trade show

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during Rendez-Vous en France annual trade show

March 26, 2013

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during Rendez-Vous en France annual trade show

   

Read more

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during French Affairs trade show

October 19, 2014

Atout France invites and promotes France.com during French Affairs trade show

France’s Tourism Minister to France National Assembly: “Government has no right to domain name France.com because of the first come first serve rule of .com registrations

October 20, 2014

France’s Tourism Minister to France National Assembly: “Government has no right to domain name France.com because of the first come first serve rule of .com registrations

“URL France.com is the property of a US travel agency since 1994” states committee headed by Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs

December 17, 2014

“URL France.com is the property of a US travel agency since 1994” states committee headed by Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Invitation to meet Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs

April 1, 2015

Invitation to meet  Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs

As part of the US Atout France delegation, I was asked to participate in a breakfast in honor of Laurent Fabius, French Minister of Foreign…

Read more

France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Atout France jointly initiate lawsuit against France.com in French court, demanding that France.com’s trademarks and domain name be transferred to them without any compensation

April 15, 2015

France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Atout France jointly initiate lawsuit against France.com in French court, demanding that France.com’s trademarks and domain name be transferred to them without any compensation

“It’s imperative that we profit from using the URL France.com” declares Laurent Fabius while also stating that the URL is owned by a Florida company…

June 9, 2015

“It’s imperative that we profit from using the URL France.com” declares Laurent Fabius while also stating that the URL is owned by a Florida company…

In June of 2015, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs convenes a committee on Tourism and  it the latter comes up with 40 recommendations to grow…

Read more

Atout France sends letter thanking me for having served on their International Advisory Board

August 21, 2015

French lower court (Paris’ TGI) issues Judgement

November 27, 2015

French lower court (Paris’ TGI) issues Judgement

On November 2015, Paris,Tribunal de Grande Instance rendered its decision regarding the domain name France.com and related European and French trademarks:   And here is…

Read more

Paris Court of Appeals Judgement

September 22, 2017

Paris Court of Appeals Judgement

Handed on September 22, 2017 was this decision from the Court of Appeals. It ordered France.com, Inc. – and France.com, Inc. only – to transfer…

Read more

France’s Lawyers write to Web.com to ask for the transfer of the domain, in contradiction to the French Appeals court order

November 8, 2017

France’s Lawyers write to Web.com to ask for the transfer of the domain, in contradiction to the French Appeals court order

France.com is served the French Appeals Court Judgment in the United States

January 9, 2018

France.com’s domain name is transferred to France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs without any advance notice nor compensation.

January 11, 2018

On March 12,2018  the domain name France.com was transferred by Web.com to the France’s ministry of Foreign Affairs and Europe. After almost a quarter-century France.com…

Read more

France cuts off all traffic to France.com’s website and email service without any notice and redirects France.com natural traffic to France.fr

March 12, 2018

France.com, Inc. files lawsuit against the French Republic, its ministry of Foreign Affairs, its minister of Foreign Affairs and Atout France in the Eastern District Court of Virginia

April 23, 2018

INTA submits Amicus Brief

February 28, 2019

INTA submits Amicus Brief

Eastern District of Virginia Federal court denies France’s motion to dismiss: France can no longer dodge US case about Domain name

December 6, 2019

Eastern District of Virginia Federal court denies France’s motion to dismiss: France can no longer dodge US case about Domain name

France’s answer to Federal courts order

January 10, 2020

France’s answer to Federal courts order

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal Decision

March 25, 2021

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal Decision

Petition for Rehearing En Banc

April 8, 2021

Petition for Rehearing En Banc

France.com, Inc. petitions the US Supreme Court for a writ of Certoriari

September 23, 2021

France.com, Inc. petitions the US Supreme Court for a writ of Certoriari

You can also dig deeper, by having a look at  Financial documents, miscellaneous correspondence and partnership offers made to France.com.

“Don’t steal! The government hates competition.” (Libertarian slogan)

Translate »