New ccTLDs for Serbia and Montenegro

Following the declaration of independence of Montenegro from Serbia, both countries have been given their own country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, the entity that oversees global internet protocol address allocation, root zone management of the domain name system and other internet protocol assignments. It is operated by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

The '.rs' ccTLD will be used for Serbia and '.me' for Montenegro, although no registries have yet been assigned and it is not clear when the new ccTLDs will be launched.

The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro was dissolved on June 3 2006 following a referendum on May 21 in which Montenegrin voters voted for secession by a slim margin. The effect of the dissolution on trademark rights is not yet known. Montenegro has not yet established its own IP office and thus trademarks that were registered in the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro remain valid in Montenegro. However, it is not excluded that a revalidation will be necessary at a later date, as was the case in other countries in the region following the break-up of the former Yugoslavia.

For background information on the union's dissolution, see Union dissolution may affect trademark rights.

David Taylor and Jane Seager, Lovells, Paris