Re: Community Input Requested on Trustees’ Intent to Renounce “IETF Secretariat” Trademark

[Hector Santos <[e-mail]>]

I don't see a legal issue or lost of trademark infringement protection 
for the reason stated.  I would suggest that, if necessary, the IETF 
could still legally list "IETF Secretariat" as a trademark <TM>, just 
not registered (R).

--
HLS

On 4/4/2014 2:00 PM, IETF Administrative Director wrote:
> All;
>
> The Trustees of the IETF Trust have voted an intent to renounce (abandon) the “IETF Secretariat”
> trademark, but before taking any action they desire to hear from the community.
>
> Specifically:
>
> It is the Trustees’ intent to:
>
> 1. Not renew the “IETF Secretariat” trademark, Registration 3860848, in the European Community
> at an approximate cost of $5,000 USD for a ten-year period when due on May 28, 2014, and
> thereby renounce the trademark as having no foreseeable future value in accordance with Article 7.1a
> of the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement, <http://trustee.ietf.org/trust-agreement-2014.html>.
> The trademark has no foreseeable future value as the “IETF” trademark is registered in the European
> Community and its use with Secretariat is protected.
>
> 2. Not renew the “IETF Secretariat” trademark, Registration 2392833, in the United States at an unknown
> future cost when the trademark expires on October 10, 2020, and thereby renounce the trademark as
> having no foreseeable future value in accordance with Article 7.1a of the Amended and Restated Trust
> Agreement, <http://trustee.ietf.org/trust-agreement-2014.html>.  The trademark has no foreseeable
> future value as the “IETF” trademark is registered in the United States and its use with Secretariat is
> protected.
>
> Authority:
>
> The Trustees have the authority to renounce the trademark in accordance with Article 7.1a of the
> Amended and Restated Trust Agreement after consulting with the Beneficiary.
> <http://trustee.ietf.org/trust-agreement-2014.html>
>
> This Article states in relevant part:
> "the Trustees may, after due consultation with the Beneficiary, dispose of, assign, sell, transfer,
> renounce, convey or terminate Trust Assets that are of no current or foreseeable future value to
> the Beneficiary and which require the expenditure of funds to retain.This exception does not
> include RFCs.”
>
> The purpose of this announcement is to begin the consultation with the Beneficiary, the IETF
> Community.  This thirty (30) day comment period expires on 5 May 2014.  The Trustees will consider
> the Community input before making a decision whether to renounce the “IETF Secretariat” trademark
> or not.
>
> Your feedback is appreciated.
>
> Thanks
> Ray Pelletier
> IETF Administrative Director
> Trustee
> IETF Trust
>
>
>