IKEA sues for right to domain name

Domain names on the Internet have been added to the list of intellectual property conflicts after Inter IKEA Systems brought a suit against Beijing Guowang Information.

The Netherlands-based Inter IKEA Systems, which owns the yellow and blue trademark and name for the IKEA furniture stores, became the first multinational company to sue a mainland company over a domain name.

The court case opened yesterday in the Beijing Second Intermediate Court.

IKEA's name and trademark is registered in more than 90 countries and territories even though the company operates stores in only 28 countries.

In the mainland, there are IKEA stores in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.

The company has also registered IKEA's Chinese name, Yijia, in the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan.